The Fire Nation Resistance
by TK-421-124
Summary: The hell-fire of war is a view that should be left alone to those who have committed the worst of crimes, but somehow, always finds its way into the lives of the innocents, no matter how little longer they stay that way.
1. Season 1: The Journal Entries: Part 1:

I just want to be clear. The only reason I'm writing this is because chances are I'm probably going to be dead by this time tomorrow and I want to at least be remembered by some people. On no condition is this some kind of bullshit _diary_ entry. That shit is for female teenagers going through puberty. As I said, bullshit. Also, just know that I'm in the middle of a warzone and am 12. So don't expect sweet talk over here. I'm damn near losing my mind and can't fall asleep anymore without having my hands grasping the nearest weapon to be used whenever possible.

Anyway, my name is Luke. That's the name I gave myself considering the first name I was given sounded like a man speaking in tongues while having a seizure. Monks tend to do that to you. You're lucky if you manage to get a one syllable name that doesn't sound like cancer to the ears. I don't have a last name. Nobody where I'm from does. To be more specific, "there" is the Southern Air Temple. _**Before**_ it was reduced to shrapnel by the Fire Nation. During my time there, I wasn't treated like any of the others. I was drilled 18 hours a day and slept for 6. That adds up to 24. I think. I was being trained for 11 years in the arts of a talent that I had no grasp over, not even a touch. I was being taught airbending to no avail. The constant drilling and hardly any sleep was due to the fact that my older brother was some sort of messiah to the air nomads. The avatar. His name was Aang and I had the consequences of being directly related to him. He mastered airbending by twelve. I learned how to feed bison without nearly losing a hand by age 10. See the difference? Everything I know today is either self-taught or learned from my new peers. When this avatar couldn't hold up with the responsibility of being the most powerful person in the world, he ran away because, stress or some shit. I didn't ask.

A few months later. Shit broke loose. It was a normal night. Everyone was asleep excluding me. This is where the intro ends and shit gets real.


	2. Part 2

It was the last day of summer. The day of the Sozin's comet or at the time was just known as the summer comet. Absolutely nobody had any idea what was about to become of them and the remainder of the air nomads. A few monks and others had stayed awake that night to experience the beauty of what the comet had to bring. I wasn't one of those. I was tired. I admit that today I regret the missed beauty of a once in a lifetime experience. However I'm not sure if I could possibly associate it with beauty anymore. Not after what happened. It was late. Approximately 10 PM or so. I had just woken up. I would have gotten out of the bed, but had nothing ahead of me at that point. After Aang left, the monks gave up on me just the same. It was fine by me. No more early morning drills or constant verbal disappointment in me, but all the same, I'll admit, aside the intense hatred at my brother for completely abandoning his family and his old life in a moment's notice, I missed him. I just sat there, back against the wall behind my bed in the stone room carved into the side of the large housing building for boys.

The thought of sleep passed my mind every few minutes, but completely left my head when one of the nuns swung the door open alerting me to come outside. I guess I hadn't fully left sleep because I still had the feeling in my eyes of sleep gathering and seemingly pulling your eyes closed. It took me a minute or so to realize the urgency in her voice. I stood up, splashed water into my face from the nearby basin in the room. I looked outside and the sky was still lit from the comet. I slowly walked to the wooden door left open by the nun and walked into a crowd of boys my age and many younger.

I could manage to see above most of their heads and saw the nuns repeat the process of opening doors and urging their residents to evacuate. The room was absolutely quiet except for the little mindless chatter of questioning spreading down the hall. A few moments later, I witnessed an older male monk enter the hallway. I could make out the look on his face and it was one of pure terror. I recognized him as monk Niugi. He taught basic combat to the older acolytes. It makes sense to me now why he chosen to lead the evacuation. I wasn't the only one to realize this. More chatter broke out among the children and suddenly ceased all at once by command of the elder. He kept one finger held in front of his mouth to indicate silence as he made his way through the crowd to the other side of the hallway to rendezvous with one of the nuns. I shambled my way through a few of the students to try to overhear the conversation and barely made out the word "Fire", "Attack", "dead", and "evacuate".

I felt an intense pain in my chest. The kind you feel when you know something bad is happening. The monk ended the conversation he was in and silently addressed us. I doubted that he would actually announce the attack in a room with kids 12 and under. And so he didn't. His words instead were "Hush children. This is very important. The downstairs floor is filled with very cute turtle ducks. We don't want to scare them away. We are going to leave the building and let them go to each of our rooms so when we come back, they'll be there."

A few random "awwwws" entered the airspace. I still remember every word of the lie he told to this day. I understand the deceit today. Even then, I would have done the same. However I myself, along with a few others my age must not have bought it considering those my same height had looks of questioning and confuse written on their faces.

Through the open window at the far end of the hall, a sky bison was barely visible. The monk moved over to the wall and performed an airbending technique I had not witnessed before. He created an air ball around the size of the wall, engulfed said wall in it, and broke it up into small chunks that grew smaller until all that left was dust. The wall was now gone and the bison was fully visible.

The nun walked over to it and ushered the children onto the hairy creature on at a time. I was one of the first on considering my space near the front of the line. The bison's saddle had reached its full capacity one the 20th child had boarded. The capacity of the hallway was over 50. Only 20 had boarded and 30 were left. This clearly had not been accounted for judging by the conversation between the only two adults in the building. Even through the whispering, the conversation was fully audible.

"We need more bison."

"The rest of the bison are in use or dead."

"So we're going to leave them?"

"No. Of course not, but there's not enough room."

"If we move the saddle more to the side, we can have the older kids-"

"There's not enough room. We'll need to make 2 trips"

I stopped listening there. My thoughts at the time were of if there was a virus spreading. Dead bison were mentioned. Before my thoughts could be accounted for, the bison took off. I looked back at the hole in the wall where we were evacuated from. Niugi had stayed behind. Today, I know they're dead. I like to think that they died quickly rather than being burned alive. Because that's exactly what I witnessed when the bison flew over what used to be of a courtyard full of children playing, lemurs playing, and flower blooming. Now, a mass grave.

The first thing I saw a streak of fire go into the air. This caught the attention of all children aboard and we immediately rushed to the side. The next thing I saw was an enflamed air nomad attempting to shake out the flames engulfing his body. As we flew across, I watched in terror at what lay below. I won't include all that I saw, but I will include some. The crimes of the Fire Nation on that day should be known. What they did that day was despicable beyond all thought.

A few of the things I witnessed at the hands of the Fire Nation that day were numerous. A sky bison transporting a group of girls on the other side of the temple was shot down, crashing out of my view. A nomad attempting to guard a child who stayed to watch the comet was stabbed by a spear wielding, armored soldier. The child faced the same death as his fallen protector had shortly before. 2 young girls huddled under the body of a dead baby bison were pulled out one after another and stabbed in front of each other. The last thing I'll mention is the nursery being evacuated. The nuns holding the infants and the occasional real mother holding their actual child. No matter the case, they died the same. Fire took them as it had the rest of the population.

We were flying south. Any direction was better than where we were. Unfortunately, we were not off the hook. Our transport had been spotted and fired at. The bison took the first blast of fire in its hide. A blast of fire would normally not have been that severe, but in the case of the comet, its powers had been enhanced. The fire quickly spread over its body, burning off all fur and skin, only leaving flesh behind. The fire stopped before it had spread too far.

The second blast of fire hit a child near the back of the bison. I don't know where he was hit, but only remember the multiple screams and watching the look of terror on his face before he fell of the bison to his certain death.

The rest missed us. Thankfully.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be enough. We were over the South Pole. It was easily noticeable by the seemingly endless tundra beneath us. This is where the poor bison would lose its grasp on life and crash into the banks of snow. One would think that snow would be a soft landing. That is the exact thought that still circles through my head when I wonder why I was the only survivor and everybody else was dead around me.


	3. Part 3

When we collided with the snowy banks of the Southern Tundra, everyone aboard swiftly lost their lives. Everyone excluding me. I don't know why it was me that didn't lose their life that day. I still don't know why the futures of everyone but me were taken away from them. That day, the last of the airbenders came to a close. An ancient art and ability that passed through thousands of years suddenly came to a violent halt in minutes. If you're still reading and haven't been overwhelmed and turned away by the violence that I've faced, just know, life hasn't been a crystal staircase for me. People die. Even today, I still have trouble dealing with the fact that I am all that's left. I still for some reason feel guilt that I survived.

I've heard of the term "survivor's guilt" all my life, but this isn't that. I'm guilty that it was me. A nonbender who had to be the only survivor of a mass genocide while literally anybody else in the entire temple would have a shot at keeping it alive, but I was chosen. It shouldn't have been me, but in the end it was. I survived. I may be presuming too much as to say that there are no airbenders left alive, but even if any had survived, the Fire Nation would have killed them all. I think that at this point of life, it is safe enough to assume that I am the last air nomad. The airbenders are gone. Anyway, back to the story. In any case that this was found on my dead body or in a library in any part of the planet with varying biases depending on who eventually will win the war, just know that this isn't a fairy tale. I said it once and I'll say it one last time. This is the story of a war that killed millions of people. Civilians and soldiers alike. If you're not up for it, leave now. If you can, just know, it only gets worse.

When I regained consciousness, everything was gone. The bison, the other nomads, and the relative scenery. I managed to stay awake through the initial crash long enough to witness the death of those in front of me, but had soon lost consciousness. My thoughts at the time were that I had been sent flying and possibly knocked out for a few hours. My only reason for assuming that was the lack of a comet in the sky. When I tried to get up, I immediately fell down to realize my right leg was bent in an awkward position and was broken. The lower portion of my leg was bent in a 90 degree angle in the wrong direction. I rolled over onto my stomach in the intense cold with snow blowing in the tens of miles per hour against my face. I crawled through the snow face first, using my chin as a plow to move the snow out of the way for my arms to pull me forward.

For what felt like hours, I somehow avoided freezing to death. I felt a pang of anger and fear whenever I turned around only to see that I was only a few yards away from where I started. With a broken leg, walking was impossible, but even if the leg was still broken, it could be returned to the socket and walking would be possible. What I learned that day while trying to pop my leg into its socket in the future would save my life and a few of those around me. When the leg reattached, a sharp and long pain followed, but once over, walking was possible. I treaded for hours through a blizzard in torn air nomad clothing designed to be loose on the body. Never ideal for cold temperature.

By the time the blizzard was over, it was day. I was exhausted, sleep deprived, hungry, and freezing. I kept walking, at this point, I had no feeling in my legs. I could have been walking on air and I wouldn't have noticed. I kept walking using my brain as the only thing keeping me moving. My bald heard felt like ice and icicles were growing on my eyelids.

I was ready to give up. I was now literally and metaphorically walking on thin ice. If I kept on moving, in both terms, the ice might break and I would either die of the water below or exhaustion, but one thing made me keep on going. Smoke. It's source invisible, but smoke all the same. Smoke meant fire. Fire meant people. People meant staying alive. Unless firebenders of course, but at that point, I was desperate. I limped for another hour until it became visible. A tiny village with snow wall, one igloo, 7 tents and a fire.

With one foot, and the broken one shuffling behind, I made my way to the village, hoping for anyone to see me. It was at a loud call to me and one to his friends to help me that I finally allowed myself to sleep.

When I woke up, I was in an ice building full of men and women alike dressed in blue coats. An older women was kneeling over my body talking to another. My hearing picked up in time to catch my diagnostic. I was frostbitten. I looked down at my leg and was horrified at the sight. My entire right foot was black. My left was blue. A young girl around my age quickly rushed into the room with a bucket of water. She placed it in front of my foot and the older woman put both of my feet into the water. I felt nothing. It was obviously the frostbite numbing my senses, but if I hadn't seen it, I would've thought nothing changed.

Another man stood guard at the entrance of the igloo. He appeared to be the father of the girl by the way they interacted. I rested my head back onto a small pillow for support. I wanted nothing to do with my feet at that moment and hated every look of my black as night body. I was no longer wearing the clothes I started out with and was under a heavy parka and blanket. An older woman entered the building and exchanged conversation with the elder including my condition. Apparently, it was indeed frostbite. My legs as well as the right one being broken, were both frostbitten and at a risk of further infection. The conversation continued involving possible treatment, but I lost it all along with my consciousness with the word "amputate".


	4. Part 4

It was already dark when I left. On no condition was I staying in that place. I admit that they had the right intentions, but I wasn't losing my leg. At the time, it was certain that it would only get worse, but my selfish attitude was the only thing keeping me from staying. I now am glad I decided to leave as I still have both of my feet and am currently in a heated room in a lit room.

I had overhead talk of the men of the village having to leave. Apparently they were going to war. I came to the idea that I could stowaway on the ship. In my life up to that point, I had never attempted to be stealthy to get out of trouble. That number grew heavily after this.

I snuck into the ship around 5 AM on the last night that the men would spend at the village. I located myself behind the food supplies and under a tarp. I didn't risk falling asleep. Only when I was in the clear would I rest. The men boarded the ship early in the morning. It occurred directly after everyone woke up. I was fortunate that I wasn't the first thing to be attended to that morning. From my spot in the ship, I could hear the farewells on the other side of the thin wood hull. A boy begging his father to go with him, "be safe" from wives and mothers, and plain "goodbyes". After the farewells were no longer visible, did I fall asleep.

When I woke up, the ship was already docked. Most likely at a small island south of the Earth Kingdom. I didn't know where, but it was obviously a pit-stop. I slowly moved the tarp over myself and looked outside. Nobody was present. Just my luck. I left the ship and stepped onto port with nobody giving a shit. Now, I was just a random bald kid in water tribe attire. I didn't care. The fact that I could barely walk was my main concern. The numbness in my foot has gone to a point where it seemed detached. I wouldn't have been surprised if it fell off hours ago and I hadn't noticed. That inspired me to check on it every few hours.

I had no plans. I had no sense of what to do. Part of me wanted to go to the air temple to make sure everything was okay, but I feared that the Fire nation would still be based there. My main concern was staying alive. Somehow. I knew that I would feel relief once the ship left. At that point, there would be nothing related to me beyond that point and I would be free to save myself however I could. At that point, the only thing that would save me was a miracle.

For the next few days, nothing changed. I tried finding other doctors, but they all said the same thing. My selfish mind seemed to be the thing that would get me killed. As much as I hated deathly numb and black feet at a risk of falling off, I was glad to at least have the foot. I hoped that the warmth of being away from the pole would help, but it didn't.

I'm going to seem like a giant jackass when this next part comes up so don't get pissed off at me for seeming like an asshole. A few days later, the Fire Nation raided the town. A separated crew was desperate for supplies and even though a few people got burned, luckily for me, so did I. At this point, you're probably thinking "What the fucking hell is wrong with this kid?" Answer is, a lot. Now, you're probably also thinking that I was going to get burned and the frostbite would end. Hell no. That's not how science works. The real answer is that time just went by, I hid, and it went by itself. I didn't even see them get to shore, I was hiding the entire time. The real fucked up part, is that the Fire Nation didn't have enough room on their ship for the rest of supplies, took the town hostage and I was left in the middle of a town with a lovely stash of loot. There's the fucked up part. Also, turns out that the Fire Nation off loaded some of their own supplies to make room for some of the hostages. I was guessing that they were separated from the main Fire Nation fleet and desperately needed hostages for ransoms.

Some of the supplies off-loaded was anti-inflammatory, and precise medical skin removal instruments. I assumed they off-loaded it due to the time being summer. My fever was soon lowered and through a painful endeavor, I managed to remove the infected tissue. There was something oddly satisfying about removing the thick and dark tissue. I was like scraping the black part off of toast. I told you I'm insane. I look back at this and think of how lucky I kept on getting. Now, I must look after myself and keep watching my back, but at that time, luck was my savior. Believe me, I feel bad those taken captive, but the world was with me that day. I hope that those people are alright now, but that day, I knew I was safe.

If I had the experience I have now, I would have gone after them, but I didn't. I didn't know how to perform an emergency surgery on a dying friend, protect myself from others, or even build a fire.

Shit. I have to go now, something's happening. If I'm alive after this, I'll write more, if not, then remember me as a hero and build a statue in my honor. Not of something lame. Of something cool. Like, me on a horse or something. For the record, I'm brown haired, male, and look badass. Make the statue as equally cool as me.


	5. Part 5

While I may have been safe for the night, the ghost town was not. I left the day after. I found a small boat the Fire Nation failed to destroy, loaded supplies, and left. At that point, function had returned to both of my legs, I had abandoned the water tribe attire, and had weeks' worth of food and water. I wouldn't end up needing half of it.

I traveled North according to a map and compass I had found. If my path were to stay North, I would reach a small village south of the Earth Kingdom mainland, but that wasn't the case. I circumnavigated the islands and headed to the temple. I had to know what had happened.

Small stubs of hair had begun growing on my previously bald head, giving off the illusion of my scalp being a brown color rather than possessing hair. I decided to shave it off while approaching the temple. I always hated having to have a bald head, but as a sign of respect, I thought I would rid of it. Inside, I knew that odds were I would be greeted by hundreds of dead bodies, but I had to see it for myself.

So I did.

When I reached the island where the temple was located, I felt as an insect would looking up at humans as I looked up at the mountain.

I followed the rear path which scaled the mountain all the way up. As I went up higher, it felt harder to breathe each time. It may have been the altitude, but I think that the weight of what had happened was starting to take its toll. For the past days, the issue at hand was my feet. Now, I had to deal with whatever was above me. It had only been a few days. The Fire Nation may still be around, picking off survivors. I almost turned around, but some force that I don't understand kept on making me continue.

When I reached visibility of the temple, I felt as if in a nightmare. Skeletal remains of a once large and peaceful nation littered the grounds. I had come up the rear way and was standing in the more secluded courtyard at the base of the main spire. It was impossible to walk a step without touching a body.

I was glued to the ground. I couldn't go forwards or backwards. I was stuck in place, looking at the lifeless skeletons of people I used to live with. I felt an urge to turn back, but a greater one to continue. This was my home. I felt an n obligation to continue. I took a few steps forwards into a small tent. I guessed that at the time, I assumed survivors could have been huddled inside, but instead was someone I knew.

The face was unrecognizable, but then memories of my life flooded back in. I remembered my brother and I remembered Gyatso. Both key figures in my life. Aang had made a necklace for him which he continued to wear from that day on. It was Gyatso's duty as a monk to treat all of his students equally, but he treated Aang as I son. And me as well.

Back before the temple was attacked, we used to spend days together playing games and doing whatever the hell we wanted. We were important to him. When Aang left, I was all **he** had left. He was in a state of depression from that day on. No longer did he have his happy and upbeat daily attitude, but instead, a somber mood. In his mind, Aang, the Avatar was the last hope for the world. I didn't understand that until the Fire Nation attacked.

There I stood, looking at a man who fought till his dying breath, judging by the bodies of deceased Fire Nation soldiers in front of him. I never imagined airbenders capable of killing before then.

Time's changed.

I stood there, lifeless. Then I cried. I don't remember crying after that. It was most likely one of the last moments spent of my life mourning over a loss so heavy. As a sign of respect, I said an old air nomad prayer in honor of fallen air nomads. "Born of Raava, and now to spend eternity at her side."

I left. I searched the rest of the temple. Nothing. I was about to leave, but felt as if I hadn't done enough. I buried the bodies. At the very rear of the mountain, I gathered the remains and buried them. It must have taken me hours to clear the temple, but it was right. I engraved the same prayer on a tombstone with my name engraved on it. I left.

I was too tired to think about why in only a few days, the bodies had already become skeletons. More terrifying thoughts of what happened that day swirled into my mind. I tried to push them out. I set the boat in a seemingly promising direction, and fell asleep.

Any regrets?

I regret disrespecting the ideals of the air nomads as a child.

I regret not being obedient and displaying the attitudes of an air nomad.

I regret not being an airbender.

I regret being the only one left.

I regret surviving.

You may be thinking that I already dealt with loss and that I'm prepared for the world.

No.

I experienced loss, but now yet the pure brutality of life and those I shared it with.


	6. Part 6

It had been 2 weeks since I revisited the Air Temple. When I reached the closest town, I realized where I was. I had visited the place once before once. It was Omashu. I had once visited a while ago with Aang. He had a very close friend by the name of Bumi. In the time he spent, unrestrained traveling the Earth, he made many acquaintances. He was one of the only people left that I could think of who could help me.

I reached the mainland and abandoned the boat, carrying the remaining supplies that I could in a small back pack. When I reached the city, I felt a surge of relief that the Earth Kingdom flag still flew all over the city. I reached the gates and was immediately held back by the guards. They asked me for my name and my business there.

I told them that I was visiting a friend. When they asked who and I mentioned Bumi, they seemed surprised. I doubt they knew who he was, but one of the guards entered the city and came back moments later with my pass to enter. In front of the entrance, stood an old man, escorted by ten guards. The man wore a horned crow and a green robe. White hair swarming out of his ears and a medium sized white beard.

I assumed immediately that he was the king of the city. Omashu always did have a King to run the city. However, I did not understand why I was being greeted by the king. Was I being recognized as the last air nomad or was his just a modern practice being help following the Fire Nation's attacks.

When he saw me he smiled. My face remained confused. When he finally spoke, I knew who he was. I had a good memory of voices. But this voice belonged to a man 10 times as old as his previous self. All I can remember was that my head hurt and I woke up a few hours later in the barracks of the palace.

The King was standing over me, grin on his face and his eyes twitching in the way they always did. Then he asked "What is my name?"

"Bumi" I responded.

He smiled and laughed, proceeding to dismiss his guards. My head was still in pain. I came here to see a familiar face, but once again had been denied. Instead, I found a man with centuries added to his age.

"Tell me" he said next. "Where are you?"

I didn't say anything for a few seconds, but then spoke "In the Earth Kingdom palace with a man out of his time."

"Now tell me next. When do you think you are?"

Then I realized. His confirmation of it moments later assisted to my internal development. I fell back down on the bed, head hitting the wooden frame.

"I don't understand" I said.

"Well. It seems that you may have taken a really long nap." He said, proceeded by laughter.

"It doesn't make any sense. How is this possible?"

"You tell me. I was just here, minding my own business and then my old friend's brother comes walking into my city 97 years after his last visit."

"Nice to see you missed me enough to count the days you didn't see me." I said, trying to lighten the mood inside of me, but I still felt like falling asleep again.

97 years was a long time. A lot of stuff finally made sense. The condition of the southern water tribe, the skeletal remains at the air temple, all of it.

I must have fainted again because when I looked again, he was gone. I still wondered how a random street kid who rode the mail system for amusement could have become king.

When I next found him, he was standing over a balcony, watching a battle between two earth Benders.

He greeted me and I proceeded to barrage him with my questions.

From what he told me, most of my questions were answered.

Apparently, 98 years ago, when the Air Temples were attacked, the remaining 3 Nations engaged in war. The water tribe and Earth Kingdom battled the Fire Nation.

War raged on for many years as the Fire Nation held their colonies in the Earth Kingdom and attacked surrounding villages, giving them control of a good portion of the Earth Kingdom. When Bumi realized he was an Earthbender, the previous king had been assassinated by the Fire Nation in preparation for an attack. Without permission, Bumi took over the city at the start of the attack and without any time to argue, the Earth Kingdom soldiers in his city followed his orders and as a result, held the city. The city was then protected very strictly, explaining the heavy security force outside. As a result of what he did, the Earth Kingdom officially crowned him King of Omashu.

Then was his turn. His first question, obviously was regarding Aang. When I told him what happened and how he had died after leaving shorty after in a storm. Bumi brought up how it was possible that Aang survived just as I had, but I said how I wished it was true, but it couldn't possibly be. Bumi told me to stay positive and how there was always a chance. I didn't buy it. He then asked what I planned to do now. I said I had no idea. He then offered me a place to stay, I initially refuses, but when he insisted, I took it. 3 weeks later, everything changed.


	7. Part 7

Then I finally remembered everything that happened. The attack, the failed escape, the blizzard, everything.

Scientifically speaking, it's possible for a human body to be preserved under extreme low temperatures in a suspended state for a period of time and for vitals to be relatively stable after awakening. I finally figured it out.

In the middle of those 3 weeks, staying at Omashu, I finally figured it out.

Everything.

When you finally know something, it really takes a lot of pressure off of your chest. That was one thing I was glad to have removed.

For 3 weeks, I just waited. I couldn't stay. Omashu was a sanctuary, but I felt an urge to leave for some reason. I said my goodbyes to Bumi and he allowed me to leave. He even gave me supplies for the road. My boat was gone when I returned. Of course. I walked on foot, with no destination in mind until I came across a town, wearing the Fire Nation flag. I was safe enough. Just another civilian. The Fire Nation seemed to have been fair to those uninvolved in the war, aside from the rogues I encountered earlier.

When I reached the town, I was exhausted. I had some money given to me by Bumi. I spent it on a room in an inn and fell asleep. The next morning, I got up, ready to leave. I was in a strange state of mind. Had no destination in mind. Just walking. I realize now how stupid I was at the time, but I just kept on walking. I was prepared to leave the village when a Fire Nation boat docked. I watched the landing platform come down and instead of Fire Nation soldiers disembarking, a few young teenagers came out. I felt suddenly snapped back into reality. They seemed to be joking as a close group of friends would. They left the platform extended. I only had a few copper pieces left. I went on. Nobody else was onboard. Luckily enough for me.

I was completely unfamiliar with the layout of a Fire Nation ship, but assumed that the cargo space was below. I was correct. I found a small corner surrounded by boxes, huddled in the open space and fell asleep. I had no sense of what I was doing. I realized that when I heard the boat leave the dock and start moving.

It was then that I realized how stupid I was. I was off somewhere unknown, possibly the Fire Nation. I sat still, waiting for the next stop patiently. That changed when I heard the footsteps coming down.

I heard the end of a friendly conversation as a person, probably around 15 years old entered the storage area. I felt a large pit of nervousness in my stomach and just stayed still.

I kept on reciting in my head how much of an idiot I was and how I was screwed. When I heard him approach, I felt like holding my breath, but instead breathed louder. When I felt the box that I was sitting against be pulled from behind me, my breathing stopped along with my heart.

I fell backwards and was looking up at a teenager, not much taller than me looking down on me with a curious look.

"Hey Boss!" He yelled. "Stowaway!"

He then turned to me. "Get up" he said simply.

I listened to him and got up. He got behind me and pushed me towards the exit of the storage deck. Another person, a few years older than the one behind me waked down the stairs and looked at me. "Oh. Just a kid."

"Probably looking for free passage. Or some of our shit."

I said nothing. I was too scared to say a word.

"Anything on him?" the older one asked.

I didn't even see the person behind me grab my bag.

"Just some copper pieces and a bottle of water."

The older one turned to me. I then realized his features. Relatively short for his age. Probably 5'6, brown haired, tan skin, neutral face.

"Kid, got a name?"

I didn't even hear him the first time until he asked a second time, obviously annoyed.

"L-Luke."

"Okay, L-Luke." Said the one behind. "Where you from?"

I didn't know how to answer.

"Kid" demanded the older one. "Where are you from? Where are your parents?"

I still was quiet. I was tired and terrified, but I didn't know how to explain the ladder. There was no point in being scared. I was just paralyzed.

"Luke!" he said loudly this time, snapping me out of my daze and into real life. "Where…Is…Your…Fa-mi-ly?"

"Dead" I said quietly.

"What?" he asked.

The one behind me responded instead. "He said they're dead."

This obviously surprised him. His expression changed from neutral to sullen and mine changed from tired to fully awake.

"Seriously?"

I nodded.

"Take him upstairs."

"To a room? What are we going to do about him? Just let him live here?"

"Just take him to a room and we'll talk. Get Dave. We need to have a little meeting."

The man behind me switched to one in front and led me through the labyrinth of tunnels in the massive ship. I had nowhere else to go.

I was led to a room with a small bed and the door was shut behind me. I tested the handle. Locked.

The next day, my fate was revealed. I was going to be staying. Food was brought to my room and I was secluded from the rest.

A week later, I was able to leave the room, but preferred to eat alone.

2 weeks after that, I found the rest of them slightly before the time we normally ate and I ate with them.

A month later, they tell me who they. I learn their names. The one who found me is Tom, the one who asked me my name is Boss and the other is Dave. I learn what their intentions are the day after. They are a group of resistance fighters who attack small Fire Nation targets in order to get stronger and help out more.

The next week, they start teaching me because I begged for it.

A comradery forms between us. As I learn more and more from them, I get to know them more and more and we become close. I learn skills that will apply to my life more in the future. I learn how to treat wounds, basic hand to hand combat, escaping different grapples and so on.

I learn their code and adhere to it however I can. That they fight to protect others at any costs.

I tag along with them a few days later where we attack a basic food convoy heading to a Fire Nation base. It serves as my first assignment and a learning opportunity. I'm no longer a forced burden. I become a friend and a comrade. A brother in arms. We are still preparing and attempting to become stronger. This, however is all in the past. Tomorrow, we attack a Weapons convoy heading to a Fire Nation camp. Tomorrow, we attack the convoy and proceed to attack the camp. Tomorrow serves as my final test and my first mission. I'm excited on the outside for tomorrow, but inside, I fear my life's end tomorrow. But that's just a feeling I'm going to have to live with for the rest of my life.


	8. Season 2: Rebels: Chapter 1: Plan

But that was the past, it's time for me to live in the present.

I put down the book and hope that something would actually be achieved. If I end up surviving tomorrow, what's the entire point of this? I'll probably just die later on, this will be found, and burned.

I shrug it off and place it in an already open drawer of a metal cabinet in my room aboard the Fire Nation scout ironclad. Not as bulky as more recent models, but still stronger than any Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe boats. I close the drawer containing my journal and along with it, any record of my existence.

I look outside the window. It was late. Probably early morning. I lie down on my bed and pull the sheets and blankets at the base of the bed over me. I fall asleep a few minutes later.

When I wake up, light is shining through the small window overhead. I finally get out of bed a few minutes later and get dressed, one article of clothing at a time. Gray Fire Nation Pants, short sleeved Red Fire Nation shirt, and 2 black Fire Nation Boots.

"Raava bless the Fire Nation" I sarcastically say to myself.

I turn the wheel that serves as a lock to the door and let myself out. The hall is empty. I walk my way over to the stairwell, leading down from the quarters to the diner.

Tom is already seated. Without exchanging words, I grab some food that he must've made the morning and dish it onto my plate and leave an empty seat between us when I sit.

"Ready?" he asks me without looking away from his plate.

"I guess" I respond just before I fill my mouth with my first bite.

"Going to brief us again this morning. Cover any details he missed."

"Okay. Sounds good"

Conversation usually remains light between two parties. This usually shifts when a third enters a room.

This occurred when Dave took the spot. Conversation was then highest until the last, Boss entered the room. This signified the start of the importance, but instead, when he entered, he grabbed a plate and sat down, instead of prepping us.

When he finished, however, business began as usual. He gathered us at the war room, which was located on the 5th deck up, under the bridge.

Already placed, was a small map of the southwestern part of the Earth Kingdom, near the coast. We all stood around it, with Boss at the far end,

In red, a circle was drawn.

"Today." He started "As you know, we're raiding a Fire Nation convoy. Not just food or medicine, but high value weapons. These go for high prices on Earth Kingdom army lists or the black markets. Whichever has the highest bid of course." He then pointed at the circle.

"Fire Nation approaches from the Northwest at 3 hours past noon. We ambush them with the cover of the forest just as they reform their formation. Catch them off guard. Remember, keep your masks on at all times. Don't let anyone see your face and don't say a word. Clear?"

"Clear" the 3 of us say together.

That was 8 hours away. We would probably dock in 2 and move to our location in 7. That would leave us an hour to set up the ambush.

This was happening. We were going to make a strike.


	9. Chapter 2: Raid

Sunday, June 16th, 2:37 PM.

We were atop the trees. Not so low as to make ourselves visible, but not too high as to view the ground as a bouquet of treetops.

I was crouched atop of a sturdy branch, allowing myself to be stood atop it. Tom was behind me and on the other side was Dave and Boss.

"So tell me again" I said without turning around. "You expect me to jump on top of the carriage without somehow breaking both of my legs on impact?"

"It's only 30 feet. You'll be fine."

"Not sure if you haven't noticed, but carriages are not made of water. They're made of wood and iron."

"Have some faith"

"If you're so confident, how 'bout you go first. Be my guest."

"Nope. Today, you finish initiation and become one of us. So quit bitching and jump when you're told."

"I want to become a member. Not a bloody mess that'll be very annoying to the Fire Nation."

"Hey. Either way's fine by me. So long as it pisses off the Fire Nation." He said, grinning.

I turned back around. It was probably 2:40 now.

I was hoping for their early arrival. I was weirdly eager for a fight.

Exactly 20 minutes later, it appeared in view. On the other side of the tree line, the others were getting their masks on. I did the same.

"Remember" I heard from behind "Quiet voices, loud appearance."

"Confirmed" I said.

When the Red and black of the uniforms became visible, I inched towards the branch. It became less still, but nonetheless, it held me.

Behind the first 2 soldiers, mounting 2 ostrich horses, pulling the carriage, there was a 2x2 square formation of 4 soldiers, armed with spears.

I was only told of my role. I assumed the rest knew theirs. When the top of the carriage was visible rather than the sides, I took a deep breath and jumped.

My feet touched first and only. I bent my knees to make up for the velocity of the fall and stood up. I was alive. Somehow. I grinned at the fact that I was still alive, but didn't notice that everyone was looking at me. _Fuck._ One of the Fire Benders on the horses shot a burst of fire at me. I rolled to the right, dodging it and jumped forward knocking him off the horse. The carriage cart was behind me, shielding me from the other soldiers as the carriage turned around for the other soldier to get in range of me. He was about to shoot more fire at me until he was knocked off by a fast approaching Tom. He was instantly knocked out.

I remembered the soldier I knocked down just as he was getting up. I kicked him in the ribs before he could extend his legs to stand, knocking him back onto the ground. I sent a kick at his head, which did the trick. The horses where confused and wandering around. The cart moved behind us, revealing the 4 unconscious soldiers lying down below the others.

"Good work" said Boss. "All of you"

I just nodded in reply, being careful as to make sure no one heard out voices.

Dave got the horses to stop and once they were, we opened the door to the cart, revealing the cache inside. Wooden boxes and weapon stands lined the walls.

Boss stood behind me and said "Not a bad way to celebrate the end of initiation."

I finally felt secure enough. I pulled down my own mask, still looking at the loot and said "Not bad at all"

"Let's take a look at the merchandise and get out of here. Take our friends' weapons too. Armor too if you're feeling naughty" Dave said, kidding.

Dave was bigger than the others. Older too. He was 17, 5'8, brown haired, and muscular. He was more of the muscles of the group.

I walked inside and opened a few of the boxes, one revealing a lovely stash of long fuse dynamite, all in nicely arranged rows. There were 20 of them per box. Enough to last a while.

"Tom" yelled Boss from outside. "You're driving with me. Rest of you, inside."

Dave had just finished gathering the weapons and armor from the soldiers outside and put it down in the far left corner of the cart. He closed the door behind him and I knocked on the wall behind me, being the front of the cart, signaling that we were ready to go. I heard the whip of the reigns, and we began moving. It was dim inside aside from a few holes or cracks in the walls.

I was looking around when I noticed the dent in the ceiling from my fall. I chuckled to myself.

We got to the ship a few minutes later. It was docked at a nearby town which was disloyal to the Fire Nation, despite being in their newly annexed territory. Their governor, Omik commonly made deals with us regarding weapons and Intel. Usually trading one for another. He had an organized militia that guarded the town.

It had never been noticed by the Fire Nation before, but it didn't stop them from being safe.

As we loaded the supplies on board I overheard a conversation between the 2 leaders.

It started with Omik saying "We think the Fire Nation has its eyes on us. More ships have been passing by lately. Could you stay a few more days to make sure we're safe? We have some information that our scouts picked up on a nearby fort. Is-"

"Deal"

"Thank you. We'll need you here for another week or so. We just want to be safe."

"You got it.

I was shoved on the shoulder. I had stopped still to hear and Tom noticed. He told me to continue and so I did. The supplies was loaded under the deck, we cut the horses free, and they ran instantly. It was late. The sun would set soon. Looks like we were going to be playing guards for the next week.


	10. Chapter 3: Attack

I sat crouched upon a branch once again on the same path where we had attacked the convoy. It was our fifth day acting as security. Rain was pouring down and I was sent ahead to scout the act as a sentry and to report back if I saw anything. I knew it, Boss knew, so did everyone else except Omik.

It was pointless. Nobody was coming. It was just his paranoia that was ceasing us from doing anything productive. Instead, I get the honor of standing in the rain, looking at an empty dirt road. The leaves above me at least stopped a majority of the fall, but it was still miserable. As much as I loved the rain, sitting in it for hours didn't strike an appeal in me.

I reposition myself so that my feet were no longer dangling over and my back was against the tree trunk. I was tired. I had been here for 5 hours. All of which were while being drenched. I close my eyes and try to imagine a better situation and soon fall asleep. My eyes open. The rain had stopped. It was now humid with a cold breeze coming through every once and a while. The sun is setting. My shift is over.

I dangle my legs off of the branch and scoot off. My feet touch the ground and I'm fine. I was on a lower branch this time. Only around 10 feet above the ground.

I walk the trail on the way back. I'm soaked in water and judging by the clouds, more rain is expected to come.

I walk for around an hour when the rain continues. With the loudness of the rain, I hardly hear the tanks behind me before it's too late. I look behind and see the tanks making a turn to where I am. I quickly run into the forest and go prone behind the hill with the road.

The tanks continue and roll by me slowly. I hold my breath waiting for them to pass. In my view, all I can see are the treads when they pass. _They're going to the village._ I realize I need to warn the village and scoot backwards until I'm far enough in the forest. I get up and sprint in the direction of the village.

When I reach the village, the tanks can already be heard. It's too late for an advanced warning. The other 3 are already outside, looking towards the road.

"Where the hell where you?!" whisper-yells Boss. "You were supposed to come back an hour ago"

"I fell asleep" I say plain and simply. Now's not time for excuses or jokes. There's a bigger problem at hand.

"Shit." He says. "Get the villagers in their homes and hide. We can convince them we're gone."

Dave and Tom go, I stay. "They'll see the ship".

"We can at least try."

"It's pointless. We should set up an ambush. Catch them from behind when they pass."

"It's my orders, Luke." He began going in the opposite direction to help until he said again "Hide and Stay in Cover. Don't do anything stupid."

I nodded my head even though he already turned back and found a young couple who were obviously scared. I redirected them to a house near the center of the town. I told them to move the stone table in the house in front of the door after I left. I left and promptly heard the table go up against the door. Even though I was most likely half their age, they trusted us. Maybe they could have been deceived by my age due to my height. I was tall for my age.

When the streets were empty, the tanks were practically here. I heard a voice from behind me yelling at me to hide. I ran to where the trail entered the village and entered an abandoned house. Inside, the house went lower than the ground. There were windows at ground level. I went onto my belly at a safe distance from the window but close enough to see outside. There was no glass. It was basically an opening.

First, I see the red and black boots march in front of me, then the treads of the tanks. There were only 2. Then followed by more soldiers. I keep count. In total, there were 8 soldiers minus the tank crew, and 2 tanks. When they pass, I'm about to crawl out when more soldiers appeared. They saw me. I crawl back, but it was too late. I hear the door knob being twisted.

I grab a knife tucked between my pants and shirt. I stand behind where the door would swing open.

It opened. I stand still, behind the door, unnoticed. He looks around, is about to leave and closes the door. He sees me and I lunge forward. I stab him in his shoulder where it wouldn't kill him, but injure him. I slide him in front of the closed door to try to block it. I also hold the door shut as they try to break it down and more join. The, the soldiers disappear. I stand back as one tries to crawl through the opening. I send a kick at his head. He tries to get out, but hits his head on the top of the opening and I kick him again, knocking him out.

Now, the entire group is on top of me, breathing down my neck. I place myself against the door again.

Then I hear the tank. I hear it move, stop then move again. It's going to ram through the building. I dive to the side, just as the wall comes down and the tank comes through. It backs up again, making an opening for the soldiers to enter. I try to get up, but my leg is caught under rubble. One soldier tries to grab me, but I use my knife, still clenched in my hand to stab him in the shoulder.

Another approaches me and grabs the knife out of my hand as another comes up and punches me in the face. My mask is still covering my face. One tries to pull it down, but I hit him in the head with my own before it can. I hurts me more than it hurts him.

I feel my free leg being grabbed. I'm surrounded. One last one holds a knife and is about to stab me until the tip of a spear penetrates his chest. Him first and 2 more follow. I fall to the ground, released by my dead captives. I crawl backwards until I realize that it was the others.

In the time I've been with them, we've never killed before. I don't know about before, but this was the first time.

It doesn't bother me. I've witnessed death before. I've witnessed murder before. This was nothing.

I can't tell who, but what looks like Dave offers me a hand. I take it and stand. They're all wearing their masks.

Immediately, the soldiers recover from their shock and attack. There are 4 left plus the tanks.

The crew in the tank shoots a fireball out of the cockpit that nearly hits us. I make a decision. Never before in my life have I killed another human being. I always viewed it as something that one could never be redeemed from. That is what I was taught in my previous life, at least. That Raava viewed murder as the ultimate spiritual crime. That to separate one's spirit from the body gifted to them was a sign of hatred to the spirits.

I either let my friends possibly die, or give up my past and any chance of redemption, assuming their bullshit has validity. My decision is made when I grab a soldier in front of me and stab him in the back of his chest, through the heart, killing him. _I don't care._

A soldier next to him turns around and sees me with a look of shock on his face over the death of his comrade. A pang of conscience grabs at me, but I push it away. Now isn't the time for second thoughts. _I don't care._ He stabs at me with his spear, but misses. I grab the spear, pull it towards me along with him and stab him in the chest. _I don't care._

The other 2 have already been dealt with. Both tanks are on the others. I grab the spear of the dead soldier, but catch a look at his dead face, fear being his last expression before death. I want to drop it, but I can't. I have to help my friends. _I don't care._

I crawl onto the top of the tank and open the lid. Both soldiers wear face-covering helmets. It makes it easier on me when I kill both from above with the spear. _I don't care._

I look back to them just as one opens the lid and the other 2 pull the 2 tank operators out, throw them to the ground and stab them in the head. It's over, and I stumbled back until I feel a wall and collapse.

I feel like I need air. I pull down my mask and can't breathe. My breaths are coming out short and incomplete. All of them gather around me and pull down their masks, all of them saying that it's over, that it's okay.

I extend my hands in front of me to show that I need space.

They back up and see to the rest of the village. I rested my forehead on the palm of my hand and looked in front of me. I killed 4 people today. Even though they belong to the faction that murdered everyone I knew, I still couldn't get over the fact that I had _**killed**_ four people today.

I looked in front of me and saw the dead bodies lying in front of me. _Is this what war is? Has war become this brutal, much more the world?_

I wanted to tell myself that this was a war where this was unavoidable, but I still felt as much of a killer as the Fire Nation, but then I remembered. The Air Nomads always taught about peace and avoiding conflict. I remembered back to the night where we were attacked. People on both sides being killed. Air Nomads fighting. Maybe it was plain out hypocrisy or maybe they meant something else.

I wanted to believe so, but still. The fact that I had ended 4 people's lives set off something in me. I wasn't disgusted by war, but I hated death, but has life become this way while I was gone.

I sat against a still intact wall of the house I hid in. I heard one of the Fire Nation soldiers waking up. The one I knocked out.

 _Today, I killed 4 people. Now, I just killed 5._


	11. Chapter 4: Recruitment: Part 1: Jiguna

We leave a few 2 days later. We adhere to our end of the contract and he, his. The others tried talking to me, but I insisted I was fine. The unfortunate thing is, I think I am.

I think I'm fine. That I'm fine with having ended to life prematurely of 5 different people whom I've never met. Who possibly had families, but even as I say this, I have trouble finding the regret that should be obviously present. I want to feel regret, bit I don't.

I worry about myself a bit.

We leave the mainland and drift into the sea. The others won't stop trying to comfort me and it's only when I act like I normally do when they leave me alone. Whether the normality was faked or not, it did comfort me.

Thinking that I was fine, we returned to the Earth Kingdom. It was a hard day's job trying to find where we go next. We couldn't just go blatantly advertising ourselves or we'd have the Fire Nation biting on our asses within a minute. Instead, we hired scouts that would go town to town, dig up rumors or news that might involve a paycheck for us, and we'd go.

The scouts communicated with us via messenger hawk. For my first few weeks as part of the resistance, I had no idea that there were others. I was when we received a message that I learned. The resistance might have been bigger than I assumed, but hardly. We only had 3 scouts. Lero, Mike, and Shau.

I wait outside for a daily report that was supposed to come in when a voice over the loudspeakers told us to get to the war room.

I get up from where I was leaning on the railing, looking at the shoreline and walkthrough the metal doorway, up 5 flights of stairs, down the hallway and take the took the second to last door on the right.

I'm the last one. A map was again on the table and still had the red circle from us planning the convoy raid. Now, there were 5 more red circles.

Boss speaks first "We need support. Aside from the scouts that we have, there are only 4 of us. There used to be three, but we got a lucky break with Luke."

"Aww. So sweet." I jokingly interrupt.

"Anyway" Boss continues. "We need to find some fresh blood. We won't last a month with just the four of us and by what happened 6 days ago, we're not just thieves anymore."

I nod. I remember that.

"Our scouts got word from these 5 town-"he says referring to the new circles. "-that there are people looking for a fight with the Fire Nation and a way to get involved."

"Do we have the names?" Tom asks.

"Most of them. The 5 towns are Jiguna, Tremence, Zinway, Tarris, and Remere. The people mentioned by the scouts are Eren, Vanri, Yin, and Vanir. They're more, but the names weren't caught by the scouts. We're gonna have to do some digging."

"Where do we start?" I ask.

"Jiguna. I said it in that order for a reason."

"Alright" I say under my breath as he continues.

"We know everyone who wants to join at Jiguna, the other towns are going to be tougher."

"Who's at Jiguna?" asks Dave.

"A kid named Yin. By what Mike told us, he's young, but smart."

"So let's get going." I say.

"Exactly"

Already being close to shore, we reach the town in around an hour.

We walk down the road until we hear someone clearing their throat behind us. We turn around individually and there's a small kid. Half a foot shorter than me with big eyes, his mouth covered with a scarf. He pulls it down and says "You're the resistance right?"

"What the fuck?" I hear Tom whisper behind me, slurring the words.

"You're the kid?" I hear Boss ask.

"Yeah." He responds. His voice is high and his scarf fell, revealing his extremely young face.

"How old are you, kid?" I hear Dave ask from behind me.

"Umm. 10." "Sir" he adds.

"Kid." Boss says. "Where are your parents?"

I just realize that I'm watching my recruitment being played in front of me with a younger actor. Being called "kid", being whispered about.

"Dead". He whispers only to Boss, but we can all hear.

"Are you living with anyone?" Boss asks.

"My mom's sister, but she's really mean. When she gets mad, she throws the pots at me."

I didn't know how it worked out when recruiting a guarded member. I was about to find out.

"We're going to need to have a talk with her."

This obviously scared him. "No! She's going to say no and then she'll hit me when you leave. Please."

"Kid". Said Tom. "Relax"

The kid stopped talking and guided us to his home. I didn't know what to expect. By his description, I expected a drunk with a lit cigar in her mouth with her feet resting on a poor and starving house pet, but instead, the house was clean, and his aunt was well maintained and looked relaxed. She seemed when we arrived with her nephew.

"Ma'am" said Boss. "It seems that your nephew has been saying things about you. That you were hitting him."

"Her expression immediately changed to shock and she calmed down saying "I know where he comes from. Ever since his parents and sister were killed by the Fire Nation and I adopted him, he always showed hostility. It's not his fault. It's just been a hard time for him. Thank you for returning him."

"No problem ma'am." Said Boss. He led us out. I thought we were going to leave when he whispered to me without turning around "Stay behind. If she does anything, get him out."

I was confused at first, but then understood. The others left, returning to the ship and I stayed behind. I heard the door shut and the deadbolt lock the door. I stayed, trying to listen for a noise, but found none. I stayed for a few more minutes and was about to leave until I heard a metallic clinging, a gong, and an impact.

I immediately got off my ass and went for the door. It was locked. I grabbed the knob, trying to force the door open, but it budge. I took a few steps back and sent a kick to the base of the door. A few of the boards came loose. I kicked again and the bottom half of the door broke off. I crouched down and entered the house. The kid was huddled in the corner with his aunt holding a frying pan about to hit him.

"What the hell are you doing in my home?! Get out now!"

I walk closer towards her and she swings. I grab her wrist before her pot connects with my head. I twist her wrist so she drops the pan, I pull her closer and head-butt her. She stumbles back and I offer a hand to the kid. He takes it and I pull him up.

I leave the house with him and she doesn't bother trying anything. She knows it's pointless. The 2 of us return to the ship and we go aboard. He's remained quiet this entire time, but the smile on his face said enough. I was about to open the door leading inside.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

"Your welcome. Nobody deserves treatment from someone like that. You're safe now. You'll like us."

I open the door and he follows me inside. The rest are waiting in the lounge which is straight ahead and they greet him.

About an hour later, the greetings had ended and a room was found for him. I even had the pleasure of going back to his hose to retrieve his possessions. His aunt didn't resist.

It was late. I walk down the hallway of the 6th floor, towards my room when Boss finds me and says simply "Good work. Tremence is next." Then he left.

I walked to my room, feeling surprisingly good with myself. I sit down on my bed, remove my boots, then my socks. Tuck the socks in my shoes and throw them in the corner of my room. I take off my jacket and hang it on my chair. Then my pants.

I lie on my bed, pull out the sheets from under me, pull them over me and fall asleep, feeling like a hero for the first time in my life.


	12. Chapter 5: Recruitment: Part 2: The Wait

"We're here" I hear Boss say.

I get up from where I was sitting on the bridge, reading a book, and look forward. There was nothing aside from forest.

"Weren't we going to Tremence?" I ask

"Tremence is being occupied by the Fire Nation. Docking there would be stupid. We're going to walk in, find the contact and get out."

He starts walking towards the exit, leading to the main passages of the ship.

"Cool." I say, following him. "When do we leave?"

"You're staying."

"Like hell I am." I say as we kept on walking.

"I need someone to watch Yin. Make sure that he doesn't try anything?"

"What the fuck is he going to do anyway? He wanted to join us. Where else would he go?"

"Luke. Please don't argue and just stay here."

I don't like it, but I don't want to get on any unknown bad side.

"Fine" I say.

"Thank you."

He gathers Tom and Dave and leave shortly after.

I see them leave and enter the dense forest.

I walk back inside, planning to get a few more chapters on my book before getting utterly bored and falling asleep.

I walk inside and see Yin straight ahead in the lounge, sitting alone at one of the tables. I walked past, but he heard me and the asked "Where's your leader?"

" **Boss** and the others just left. Why?"

"I wanted to ask him where I sleep."

"Where did you sleep last night?"

"In one of the bunks in the barracks."

"Then that's where you sleep."

I started to walk away, but he got up and caught up with me.

"Why do you get to sleep in one of the good rooms?"

We reached the first flight of stairs going up and started ascending.

"Because there are 4 authority figures on a standard Fire Nation ship. Captain, Navigator, Commander, and First Mate. I got lucky."

"Yeah okay, but why do I need to sleep in a huge room all by myself?"

We keep on walking, now on the second deck. "Because there's 5 of us and 5 minus 4 equals 1." I turned around a looked at him, smirking. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark."

He shakes his head and says "No. I just don't like being in a huge room alone."

We keep on walking. "Well" I say. "Chances are those numbers are going to change in a few hours and you won't be alone."

"Okay"

A few more minutes pass until we reached the third deck until he asked "Where are the others going?"

"Town called Tremence. Picking up some new recruits."

"You guys on some kind of recruiting spree?"

"You could say that?"

A few more minutes pass until we reached the fourth deck. And he asks "I'm sorry. What's your name again?"

"Luke. Our leader is just called Boss. The tall one is Dave and the other is Tom."

"Hm. Why aren't you going with them?"

I reach the stairs leading to the fifth deck.

"They wanted me to keep an eye on you."

"Because you're the second to newest one, I guess?"

"Yeah. How'd you know that?" I ask. Legitimately curious.

"It seems like it's descending in age."

"Well. You're wrong. Dave is the oldest here."

"Oh. I won't cause any trouble just so you know."

"Good to hear."

I reach the ladder leading to the bridge. I open the hatch and start going up until he says "You're going to the bridge?"

"Yeah." I respond. Already a foot off the ground. "Why?"

"I was going to ask if you could give me some pointers."

"Pointers?"

"Yeah. Like how to fight and stuff like that."

"How old are you?" I asked questionably as I came back down.

"10. You?"

"11. Sure. Let's go."

We go down back to the first deck. I told him to wait outside as I went to the storage room and looked for anything. Hay bales, punching bag, Fire Nation armor, etc. I grab the punching bag which is floor mounted and grab some armor. Luckily, the bag was shaped as the upper torso of a human and was slightly taller than Yin and around my height.

I bring it out and put the helmet and body armor on it.

"Alright. Go." I say.

He was already in a fighting stance, but looked at me and asks "What do I do?"

"Knock it down."

The circular base of it is 20 lbs. Impossible to knock over without prior knowledge. It's meant for punching which was especially amusing when he attempted to tackle it, but fell back on his ass.

I snicker and put my hand up to my chin in an arch that it fit in as I continued watching. He had a very obvious blush of embarrassment on his cheeks.

For the next few hours, I showed him the weak spots in Fire Nation armor and had him lay 10 punches within 10 seconds. None of which could touch any armor, but had to find its way through.

He didn't get it. He got 6 until he hit the base of the helmet while trying to hit the neck.

I is 6 PM now. Still no sign of the others. They've been gone for 6 hours.

I lean against the exterior wall looking at the forest, waiting for them to emerge until Yin walked out.

"Still not back?"

"No."

"Should we like… look for them?"

"I'm getting close to doing so."

"We don't want to lose sunlight. We should probably go now.

He was right. If we were going to go, it should be now.

I brought up the ramp leading to the ground first.

"What are you doing" he asks as I do it. "We need to go down there."

"We're not going on foot" I say. I motion for him to follow me and he does. I lead him down into the main storage area.

I hit a switch on my right and suddenly, the extendable ramp on the front of the ship separates and begins to descend. Light pours in revealing two Fire Nation tanks.

"No way." He says.

"Yep. We were attacked by two of those about a week ago. We kicked their asses and took their tanks as a parting gift."

That was the day I killed five people. I try to forget, but it lingers. It's just another thing that happened.

I lead him to the front tank and open the hatch. I go in first and he follows inside, closing the hatch behind him.

"Do you know how to start it?"

"Noo, but seriously. How hard can it be?"

"I look in front of me, but all of the levers and switches look the same. Not to mention the confusing gauges in front of me.

"Have you tried starting it?" he asks from behind me.

I sarcastically face palm myself and say sarcastically "Why didn't I think of that?"

"I was just offering suggestions."

"Please refrain from offering suggestions that suck ass."

I look back to the controls. _There's got to be some way to start this._

I handle next to my seat. I grab it and try turning it. Nothing. I'm fiddling with it and realize that it pulls out. I grab it and yank on it. It makes a noise similar to one of an engine starting.

I hear Yin twitch behind and look back. He has hopeful excitement on his face. I pull again with the same noise. I pull one last time and it starts.

I slam the panel with joy and say with and quiet yell "Yes!"

I see a lever on my side and move it forward. The tank shifts.

I fiddle with the controls for a way to start moving and even start kicking around until we yank forward. I try to kick in the same spot and feel another pedal, but it does nothing. I feel around some more and move forward.

I look through the small slit in front of me and try it again. We're moving!

I press it harder and we exit the ship and go down the ramp. We're about to hit a tree, but I hit another pedal accidentally and it stops.

I'm breathing really heavily and so is he. He's seeing everything from the slit through which firebenders fire at others.

I'm an inch away from the tree and try pressing the stop lever and it moves me backwards.

"Okay okay." I say. "So this pedal goes back. Right?" I say a\as I press the left pedal.

"Yeah."

"And this goes forward." I say, pressing the other.

"Yep."

"Let me try something." I grab the wheel in front of me and press forward. I start moving, but turn the wheel. The tank turns to the left and then the right with the corresponding turns.

"Okay." I say. "The wheel is for steering."

"Yep."

I suddenly start laughing and say "Holy shit. This is awesome."

He starts laughing as well and says "I know. This is amazing."

I look for the dirt path and find it. I find the gas pedal and press on it. We move forward onto the path and start heading towards town.

"You have aa map right?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Good. Because I do **not** want to get out to fetch a new one."

 **Don't normally do this, but if you could please review and say your favorite chapter so far and any predictions, I would appreciate it and if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them and if you have any suggestions, go ahead.**


	13. Chapter 6: Hostages

The sun was beginning its descent behind the horizon. I had been driving for around an hour now.

Judging by Yin's directions and measurements with my help, we were approximately 5 miles away from Tremence. Around 20 minutes ago, he handed me his map and fell asleep.

I still have a grin on my face from the thrill of driving. I studied the many gauges and different controls through tests and found the speedometer which was a huge help. I look at it again. The small red hand is pointing at **10**. It's been that way for the past 20 minutes. In around 10 minutes, we should be there.

I continue driving until I see the forest start to separate and lead to a huge clearing. I let go of the gas pedal and turn off the engine. I look around and Yin is still asleep, sitting down on the gunner's seat, head resting on the closed opening.

I grab his tibialis anterior (half a foot below his knee) and shake him a few times until his eyes open and he wakes up.

He moves his head so it's no longer resting on the metal and he yawns as he rubs his eyes.

"We're here"

He looks confused for a few seconds, but then seems to understand and nods his head.

He opens the hatch above him and crawls out. I crawl out after him. I close it behind me, holding it until its finger distance from the hatch doorway and I close it as silently as possible. It hardly makes any noise.

I slide down the side of the tank and Yin is looking ahead at the town, kneeling down on the front of the tank.

"I don't see anyone." He whispers.

"Maybe they're asleep." I say. It's dark now. Even though I say that, it never seems to be as simple as that. I start walking towards the town and Yin follows.

I walk under the arch at the entryway as I enter the town. There's no lighting whatsoever and its pitch quiet.

I see a circular fountain which must be at the center of the town and I walk towards it. As I get closer, I notice the abnormal color of the water. When I get to it, I notice the face down figure in the water. I grab its side and turn it so its face up. When I do, I notice that the majority of the figure's face is peeling off already with maggots feasting on its carcass.

I suddenly feel sick to my stomach and I let the body go. It goes back to face down in the water.

I look behind me and Yin is trying to get a door open of a house.

I walk by him and motion for him to move back. The door's locked by a knob with a keyhole directly under. I stand back and aim at kick directly at the keyhole. I hit it and the lock shakes loose and the door swings open. Yin looks inside, but suddenly retracts.

I walk inside and see what he saw. A dead women burned so severely, half of her body was molten to the wall.

I take a few steps back and I see Yin retch a few times before first puking on the wall and then readjusting to aim at the ground.

I feel sick to the core, but I know I'm not going to puke.

"The Fire Nation were here" I say, stating the obvious.

"He stops puking for a moment, says "yeah" and then continues. I leave him be and search the remaining houses, looking for either Boss, Tom, or Dave.

I feel a huge relief when I check the last house and none of them are there, but instead more burnt victims.

Yin finished and by the time I finished checking the last house, he comes up and asks "They're not here. Right?"

"No. The Fire Nation must have captured him."

"How do you know it was the Fire Nation?"

I turn around and look at him very seriously. This event matches up too well with those of 98 years ago. "Trust me. I know when the Fire Nation are involved."

"How are we going to find them?"

"Look for some tracks, or maybe burn marks, anything to help us get going."

I walk to the other entrance into the small village and start looking for any signs. There are no burn marks aside from those inside the towns. It wasn't just an attack. They were looking for people. They were looking for our guys. And by the looks of it, they succeeded.

I look down and notice tracks. They're organized foot prints. Definitely Fire Nation judging by the shoe print.

When we stole the Fire Nation uniforms while attacking they're weapons convoy, I noticed and memorized their unique tread patterns. It was the same I saw here.

I followed them from outside the village and enter until they broke off. I followed the path to the side of a stone building. There was a struggle judging by the imperfection of the path. Dirt had been kicked up and a lot of impromptu footwork. I looked up the wall and saw a small fracture in the stone. Possibly one that would be created by a spear hitting pavement. There was no blood in that section. I followed higher and looked to the right.

Some blood had been dried against the wall. I followed more to the right to the open door and I saw the scene play out before me.

One of our guys saw the Fire Nation coming and hid in the house. When the Fire Nation passed, he ran out ready to fight and one of the soldiers followed.

I noticed more footsteps from the road lead to the area.

The soldier pinned our guy against the wall and attempted to impale him, but missed and hit the wall. He was then grabbed and thrown face first against the wall, leaving the blood stain until more came…

I then saw Dave's knife lying on the ground.

…and took them hostage.


	14. Chapter 7: Infiltration

I kneel down on top of the hatch of the tank at the edge of a forest. The Fire Nation camp is located in the middle of a lowered clearing in the middle of the forest. The majority of the outpost consists of tents bearing Fire Nation insignias and one stone building located in the center, flags above waving their proud sign.

"They do love their patriotism." Yin says from my right.

"Yep" I say, not really paying attention, but instead, focusing heavily on the outpost.

There is a large fence, around 3 yards high spanning the circumference of the outpost. The tent clusters were mainly occupying the southernmost semicircle. The rest seemed to be the building and command structures.

"It doesn't seem to be a temporary base" I say. "Seems like a good place to hold prisoners."

"They may not even be there."

"No, but this is the closest we've come and the tracks lead here."

"They may have moved them."

"If they did, we'll ask."

"And they'll just answer us, give us some cookies, and point us in the right direction?" he say, getting louder.

I shush him and keep on looking. There aren't many guards. They have a patrol securing the perimeter of the base that would take a full 5 minutes. Isn't a lot of time, but it's something. They have stationary guards who stood around 30 yards apart each. If we got low, we could get past easily. Then it was just a matter of getting a guard to talk. That would be the hard part.

"Okay. Here's the plan" I say turning to Yin. "We get low and crawl to the gate. When the patrol passes us, I'll cut the fence around midway between 2 guards. We go in deeper and find one off duty. They'll notice if an on-duty guard is missing. We interrogate him and get the information out of him."

"One question. Are you out of you damn mind? They'll kill us."

"They can't kill what they can't see."

"It won't work. We should just leave and go to the next town on that list you mentioned."

"Look, Yin. These are our friends. Your comrades. Your one of us now so start acting the part and stop being a fucking coward. We're not leaving them behind. Do you understand me or not?!' I say, half whispering, half yelling.

He looks down at the ground and nods.

"Good. Let's go.

I put on my mask and he, not having one at the moment, wraps a handkerchief around his face.

When the shift moved, we went. We crawl to the fence and wait in the medium height grass again. We wait, still, for them to come around again. I take out my knife and start making some basic cuts, sawing through the wire, that'll make it easier to go through once I have to.

Right when I have the primary cuts completed, the patrol of 4 guards pass again. I make the last cut, grab on the wire and pull the 3x3 ft. square out of the fence and onto the ground. It's close enough to the ground that it's unnoticeable. We crouch this time and move to the cluster of tents. In the entire outpost, there are probably no more than 20. I get near the stone building where a small lit tent is.

I motion for Yin to go inside with me and he nods. I open the flap quietly and the man is awake. He looks shocked and in the hesitation before he yells for help, I grab him and push him onto the ground. I cover his mouth with my arm so he doesn't yell. Yin comes in after me and just stays at the entrance.

I take out my knife and hold the blade up to his neck. I release my arm so his face is revealed and I shake my head, telling him to not to yell or else.

"Where are the prisoners?" I asked quietly, but strictly.

Then, he told us everything.


	15. Chapter 8: Rescue

I put the knife down. My hand shaking as I let go of it,

"You-" Yin starts. "You killed him."

"He was about to yell." I say, trying to convince myself I made the right move. "He was about to yell." I say more quietly this time. More to myself than to him.

 **A few minutes ago:**

I release my hand from his mouth and let him talk. He tells us everything we need to know.

"Where are the prisoners?" I ask.

"The prisoners-"he pauses, thinking. "They're in the building. Go inside the nearest entrance and turn right. Open the door and they're inside.

"Are the doors locked?" I asked.

"Yeah." He reached into his pocket, hands shaking. I tense up and hold a knife to his neck. He pulls out a key and. I take it with my free hand.

"Anything else we should know?" I say. Knife still to his neck.

He nods and says "There are 5 prisoners. We caught them all at Tremence."

I take the knife away and stand up. I don't know why I didn't just knock him out before I stood, but it gave him perfect opportunity. I heard him shift and start off yelling "They're in here!" but only managed to get the first 2 words out before he could alert the base and I put my hand over his mouth and shoved the blade of the knife into his stomach. I felt the liquid of his blood ooze out, covering my hand. I saw the shocked expression on his face before it grew tired and he died.

He must have been only 20 years old. He was still young and had most likely been drafted. I didn't regret killing him, but I wish it could have taken a different turn.

"How do you know that? He just told us everything we needed to know and you kill him!" Yin says, getting dangerously loud.

"Shut up." I say yelling, but whispering at the same time. "He was going to alert the base and everyone stationed here would be on our damn asses. It was him or us."

"But still. I just-I can't believe that just happened."

I really didn't want to continue that conversation. "Come on." I say, changing the subject. Let's get the others and get the fuck out of here."

"What about the other 2?" Yin asks, getting up.

"They're probably the new recruits. They're coming with."

He nods and we exit the tent.

The entrance to the stone building is a few yards to our right. I get up to the wooden door and take out the key. I insert it into the keyhole and twist it. I feel relief when I hear the click of the door unlocking. I open it swiftly to avoid the annoying and loud creaking of a slowly opening door.

There's no one inside by the looks of it.

I see the door on the right that should lead to the cell and insert the key once more. Same result. It opens and inside are 5 figures, heads covered in bags and both hands chained to hooks on the wall. I choose the one on the far left and lift off the bag. It's Tom.

"Luke?" he asks quietly. "What the hell is going on?"

You got got by firebenders." I say smiling, relieved that they were alive.

"Yeah. We're getting you out of here." Adds Yin, also smiling, seeming to have forgotten about the previous event.

I turn back to Tom and ask "Do you know where they have the key to your cuffs?"

He looks as if he was out of it, but then regains his focus and says "Yeah. Same key as the doors. I think that the-"

"Already got it." I interrupt.

I insert the key and it opens. I turn to Yin and jokingly ask "Pretty smart to have the same key for fucking everything, right?"

He seems more serious now. He just nods.

I go to the person next to Tom and lift off the mask. Dave. I uncuff him and then do the same for Boss who was next to him. He just looks at me with shock. It takes him a few moments to respond and then he says "Nice work. Good to see you."

"Likewise." Boss is till sat on the ground with me kneeling in front of him. I turn to the two next to us. "They our guys?"

"Yeah. Ex-Fire Nation. That's how they found us. There were three originally. One had a change of heart and reported us."

"He still here?"

"No. He's long gone. Probably got a promotion and a reassignment or some shit. Let's get these guys out of here and get going."

"Sounds good."

I go to the right and took off the person's mask. He's young, probably around 16. He has disheveled, brown hair and same colored eyes.

"Fire Nation's recruiting pretty young huh?" I ask.

"Like I was recruited. I was drafted."

His cuffs come loose and he stood up. "Name's Mark, you?"

"Luke."

"Thanks, Luke."

I nod as if to say your welcome and went to the next person. He seemed as if he was asleep. There was no struggling. I lift off the mask and immediately recoil.

"Oh, fuck."

I hear a rush behind me and Mark kneels down right next to me and grabs his comrade's shoulder. "Azeh. Get up."

He's dead. I don't say anything, but I'm sure he knows it too.

"Azeh. Get the fuck up. We're going."

I hear Boss behind me say "Dammit Mark, we got to go."

"You promised sanctuary for both of us."

"He's dead, Mark."

"Just help me get him loose."

I just look at the body and hear my cue. I insert the key and he comes loose. The body falls into Marks arms. I notice Mark's expression has changed completely.

"Mark." Says Boss. "Your brother's dead. I'm sorry, but we will be too if we don't go."

Mark isn't paying attention. He's still holding the dead body of his sibling. I'm only a foot away and can hear him whispering under his breath "He's gonna pay. He's gonna fucking pay, that prick.

I get up and walk towards Boss who's waiting at the exit.

'What happened?" I ask.

"I'll tell you later."

Boss walks over to Mark and puts a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll take the boy with us, but we have to go now."

He nods his head, but instead of taking the body, he takes out a small bearing a strange symbol and places it flat on top of his brother's head.

I know I missed a lot, but I had no idea I missed this much.

Tom leaves first, followed by Dave, Boss, Me, Yin, and Mark.

I lead them through the exit I created and we get to the tank. Nobody mentions anything about Azeh. I don't know what to feel. I never met him, but I feel as if somebody close to me has died just by the reactions of those around me.

We get back to the ship by the time the sun is coming up. The hatch opens and the others go out and disperse without saying anything. I do the same and get to my room, realizing for the first time today that my arm is blood red up to my elbow. It was the first time I wore the blood of people who I had to kill, but I realize that day, that this is what war has become, and it will not be the last.


	16. Chapter 9: Prisoners

**8 Hours Ago**

"Think we should have left Luke behind?" I ask.

"They'll be fine" responds Boss. "I trust him"

"Yeah, but. What if something happens?"

"Relax, Tom." Says Dave. "What's going to happen?"

"I don't know. Maybe the Fire Nation sees the ship and investigates."

"It's Earth Kingdom waters. The Fire Nation wouldn't risk it."

We're at the town. Just entering it. It's heavily occupied. Earth Kingdom civilians walking around, attending to daily matters. Not a care in the world. Not a fear in the world. _It must be nice._

"Where's the contact?" I ask Boss.

"He and the 2 others said to meet by the fountain."

I look and see it in the center. 3 men in Fire Nation clothing sitting together. There's an obvious similarity between two of them. Brothers.

"There" I say.

"Yeah."

We walk towards the fountain and the 2 who are sitting stand up and the other who is already standing looks at us and nods.

Boss speaks up, beginning the signal to see whether these are the ones. "Fire burns greatest-"

"In Winter" says the oldest one. "I'm Mozoh. That's Azeh and Mark."

"You ex-Fire Nation. Right?" asks Dave.

"Yeah. You came right on time."

"Good to hear." I say. "Ready to go."

Mark and Azeh stand up. "Yeah" says Azeh. "Ready when you are."

"Good."

"Wait" says Mozoh. "Something I need to do."

"Got bags to pack?" asks Dave, joking. "You'll only be gone forever."

Mozoh leaves.

I turn my attention to Azeh, obviously the older brother. "So. You live here?"

"Nah. Mark and I lived further east."

"Parents?"

"Dead."

I nodded my head. It was a common occurrence these days. Definitely not rare.

"Yeah." Butted in Mark. "I took care of him pretty well. Didn't I, Azeh?"

"Yeah, Wise guy? Where'd you get all your food and clothes then?" he asks, continuing the joke.

They already seemed to be fitting in well. It would be good to have some new people around. We could finally be a threat to the Fire Nation. Something to get their attention. I actually feel calm. I was nervous that the Fire Nation would be after them, but it seems like I was wrong. That's what I thought until I heard the treads in the distance.

"Shit." I heard Dave say.

"Fire Nation." Confirms Boss.

"Where the hell's Mozoh?" asks Azeh.

"Screw him." I say "We need to go now."

"No. He defected with us. He's out friend."

"Fine" says Boss. "But you're putting the innocents here at risk."

The people here look terrified. With good reason. They hid 3 defectors. They know what's coming.

"Hide." Says Dave.

I run for a building near the center of town. The family inside opens their door for me and lets me in. _Thank you._ I huddle in the corner nearest to the window and the family stays opposite of it. It's a mother and father with a small girl. _I won't let them get hurt._

I look out the window and see Dave run to a building near the front of the town. It's a risky place to be, but he can handle himself.

When I see the few tanks enter and the marching formation of troops follow it, I duck. I hear a door open and I think that a fight is about to start, but instead I hear "Welcome to our town." It's the town leader.

"I trust that this is an act of humanity and passiveness."

"Cut the act." It's a strict voice. Must be the leader of the force. "3 of our soldiers recently defected and we know that you're hiding them."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. If three criminals passed by here, you would be the first to hear of it."

"Exactly. Kill him!"

I look up and see a spearhead come out of his back and retract. Blood pours out and he lands face first onto the ground. I grab a knife on my belt and jump through the window. I see Dave leave his shelter and the others also get ready for a fight.

The soldiers split up and get individual targets. 2 are onto me. The first one ahead stabs at me, I dodge it to the right, grab his spear right below the iron head, pull him forwards and dig my knife into his neck. He falls back with my knife. I'm unarmed. I feel a hand on my shoulder and it turns me around. _Shit._ I feel a hard wooden club impact against my skull. I fall down. My eyes are still open and I can see the others fall around me.

There aren't too many solders left. I see Mozoh. _Good. Get us out of here._ He doesn't. He walks forwards and shakes hands with the commander of the attacking force. _What?_ He looks down at me for a brief moment and returns his attention to the commander. I can see his mouth move, but can't hear the words.

I feel myself being moved. No. I don't feel it. I just see the world moving around me. My vision is now a small dot, but through it, I can see the house become a lit and the soldiers burn the town to the ground with everyone with it. _No._

When I wake up. I see nothing. I worry I'm blind, but realize that there's a bag over my head. I try to pull it off, but I am unable to. My hands are bound above me. The room is damp, but cold. I begin grunting as I attempt to free my hands, but it's useless.

"Boss." I yell.

"Dave, Mark, Moz-". Mother _fucker!_

"What?" It's Azeh.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know. Can't see a damn thing in this mask."

"Where are the others? Are they here?"

"Yeah. I think so."

"Dave! Dave, Boss wake up!"

"Quit it."

I wait a few seconds and I hear chains rattling again.

"What the fuck?" _Dave._

"Dave?"

"Yeah?"

"You awake?"

"No, asshat. Still sleeping. Course I'm awake. Where the hell are we?"

"A prison probably."

"No." says Azeh. I don't think so. Seems too cheap to be a prison. Probably a temporary camp."

I wait a few minutes and hear a grunt coming from the other side of the room.

"Azeh?" _Mark._

"Mark?"

"Azeh?"

"What?"

"Oh good. You're here. Thank Raava. You okay?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"Only a scratch or two. Where are we?"

"Fire Nation jail cell." I say.

"Shit. We gotta get out of here." Says Azeh. "Any of you see anything through the bags on our head?"

"Nope." Says Dave.

"Gonna try to get mine off."

"Not a good idea." Says Boss.

"Boss? You awake?" I ask.

"Yeah. Just woke up."

I can hear Azeh's chains rattling from the far side of the room. He's trying to get his bag off.

"Yo, Azeh, calm down I say.

"Almost got it."

"Azeh quit it." _Mark_

"Oh shit." He says. "It's slipping off."

"Holy Fuck. Keep going."

I can't even tell the voices apart anymore. Not even my own.

"Go, Azeh." "Keep on it." "Come on."

I hear Azeh say "So close. So close. So close." Then a pause. "Got it!"

"Yeah!" "How are we restrained?" "Where are we?" "Nice!"

Him again. "Oh shit. It's really weak. There's a hook in the wall that the chain are attached to. I can totally pull it out!"

I hear the enthusiasm in his voice.

"Go Go Go!" "Let's do this!"

Then I hear something outside. A door opening. They here it too.

"Azeh. Stop!" I say.

"They're inside. Stop!" _Dave._

"Stop now! They're gonna kill you!" _Boss._

"Azeh. Please stop. Please." _Mark._

"So close. So close."

Then the door opens. _Fuck._

I hear a rush of a single person's footsteps enter the room and what comes next is horrific.

I hear him being beaten, the chains rattling violently, constant sounds of clubs meeting flesh and the squish of bloody areas being repeatedly hit. I barely hear his cries of pain I can hardly hear it over our yells, demanding attention turned on us. After around 10 minutes of continued beating, he stops and continues on us. I'm last in his line of pain. I feel the familiar blow of the club against the side of my skull.

The last thing I hear is him saying "Try something like that again and you'll get a lot worse."

When I wake up, the rest are already awake. I can hear Mark breathing very loudly, quietly saying "Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit."

"Mark." I say. "Relax."

"Relax? They fucking killed my brother!"

"Mark?" I hear very quietly?"

"Azeh?"

"Hey, Mark."

It's very weak. He's obviously in severe pain.

"Hey. You have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice."

"I'm here. I'm here."

"Good." I can hear him watering up. "Please stay."

"Yeah. I'm gonna try to sleep."

"Okay."

I know he's not going to live. For the next few minutes we remain silent. I then hear the door of the building open again. I think one of us is going to receive punishment or intense interrogation, but then I feel my mask lift. _Son…of…a…bitch. Thank you._


	17. Chapter 10: 2 Weeks Later

**2 weeks later**

I close shut my right eye so that only my right is looking through the angle of bow. I align it so that the arrow head points slightly above the red center of the target. I grab the middle of the string with my index and middle fingers separated only by the arrow's butt. I pull it back slowly and carefully, but with strength. The arrowhead still points slightly above. I stand 200 feet away from the target. The full length of the bridge entrance to the bow of the ship. The others around me look carefully. Half audience at the target and half on me. Considering the small numbers of our crew., that makes a tiny audience, but it's enough. I release both fingers from the string and watch through the same angle as it hits the bullseye. I finally exhale, loving the feel of fresh air in my lungs again.

I hear the small audience clap and offer compliments. For the past two weeks we've been trying to teach ourselves to gain a "sniper's advantage". I just got it. Boss walks up to me and I hand him the bow. He pats my shoulder and says "Good shot, Luke. Now you teach Yin."

"You're kidding."

"That's how it goes. Elders teach their apprentice until the apprentice becomes a master and takes one of his own."

"So who taught you? Master?" I say, sarcastically adding the master to the end of the sentence.

"Fire Nation military teaches a lot. Especially when you have over a year's experience."

"Right." I say, remembering Boss' story of his non-optional service to the military. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but what again is the point of this?"

We had already begun walking back towards the interior of the ship. He stopped in his steps and looked at me. "If we avoid engaging the enemy from close quarters combat, we reduce the probability of casualties."

"Casualties?" I ask, scoffing. "You're kidding. We'll be fine. We hadn't had any casualties yet."

"Azhel."

The one name was all that was needed to get me to shut up. Tom told me the story. I can understand now why Mark hardly talks anymore and why he's remained for all intents and purposes, "mute".

"Alright, but we need to do something about our entire staff situation."

Boss continues walking and so do I.

"We're fine on staff."

"No. We're not. We only have 6 guys. One of them is a kid and the other is a mute, and not to mention me of course." I say, adding a humorous downplay of myself which catches no whiff of humor in my superior. I suddenly feel very stupid.

"Anyway." I continue. "We should try to expand our group. Get the scouts back here. It seems stupid that they give us a report on multiple locations and we refuse to do anything about it."

"It could just be another trap." He opens the already slightly ajar metallic door and I walk in after him, leaving it open.

"By what I heard from Tom, it wasn't a trap. Mozoh was in it for his own gain and sold us out."

"That could just happen again."

"It was a risk. We were recruiting Fire Nation defectors. We got lucky to get one out alive."

Boss stops once again and turns towards me, leaning against the wall behind him. "No. A comrade died that day, and you're calling us lucky?!" he said, suddenly raising his voice.

I returned the favor. "If we just stop now and refuse to expand, then we're not even a threat! We're just a group of mindless kids who manage to piss off some firebenders every now and then! When I joined, you promised a resistance to this bullshit tyranny that innocents are being forced to live under! Not stand on the sidelines cheering for the Earth Kingdom to do something while we sit on our asses and buy fucking war bonds!"

"I'm trying to keep us alive!"

"By what?! Having us eventually die of starvation on this boat rather than dying a death on the battlefield?!"

"This is war, Luke!"

"Exactly! In war, people die. I know that better than most, but if you lie around, sulking about for the rest of your miserable life, what's the point?! At some point, you need to realize that no matter what you do, you can't bring them back! They're gone. All you can do is live on for them!"

"You weren't there." He says, lowering his voice.

"I know I wasn't. It's not easy seeing someone die, but you got it easy. You knew him for a few hours. Try 11 years."

They knew about my past with the air nomads. As hard as it was to explain, they're accepted it. No questions asked. I was relieved that I didn't face paranoia or questions, but somewhat yearned for their interest in the predicament.

Boss stood there, silent, eyes closed for what seemed like hours until he left after saying "See you at dinner."

I never tried to insult the memory of Azhel. The only memory I have of him was his dead body when I lifted the bag over his head. Then there was the memory of Mark's tantrum back on board the ship when we told him that we weren't going back for his brother's body. We were already miles away from the coast when he threatened to jump overboard. He damn near did before we restrained him and locked him in the barracks alone. When he exited, he was kept on parole for the next few days. Boss trained him in archery first to get his mind off of things. It seemed to work. In a sense at least. He no longer attempted to jump overboard, but instead was replaced with silence.

A few hours later, I leave the room. 8:00. We always eat dinner at this time. Sure enough the diner was packed with all except for Boss. He hadn't arrived yet. I worry that I may have snapped something in him. I grabbed a plate and sat with the others trying to blend in. I sat next to Yin and Tom, opposite of Dave and Mark. I ate in silence below the talking of the others until I heard my name.

"What?"

"Luke." It was Tom.

"Yes?"

"Tell Mark about your life before the war."

I looked up and for one of the first times in years, he wasn't expressionless. He actually had a hint of a smile on his face. He seemed rather talkative and enjoying himself.

"Alright. I was an Air Nomad."

"Shut up." Says Yin from next to me. He never heard of it either.

I took a bite from my vegetarian plate and continued. "No seriously. Before the war."

"Right." Says Mark, with a tone of sarcasm. "98 years ago."

I smile. "Yep. I'm 109 years old. Going on 110 next week."

"Don't expect a gift." Says Dave from across the table, smiling."

"Wait." Says Mark. "Continue."

I take another bite. "Anyway, 98 years ago, the Fire Nation attacked." I continue, unaware of how I'm keeping a smile on my face even through recounting the horrific details of that day. "It wasn't until I reached Omashu that I realized how long I was in the South Pole. I traveled for a few weeks and eventually found the resistance. That's where I joined up. With the promise of revenge and work towards a better future for everyone else."

The words happen\ to come out exactly as Boss enters the room. It seems to well-timed to be coincidental. He says not a word, grabs a plate, and sits on the aisle seat across from me.

"That why you eat only green-shit?" asks Yin.

"Language, Yin" I say.

 _Who the fuck am I to say that. I'm barely a year older than him._ "But yeah. That's why."

"Have you ever tried meat?" asks Mark from my right.

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Seems to go against my tradition apparently."

"Yeah, but, no offense- "says Tom. "But I don't think they'd care much anymore."

"Maybe not, but considering that I'm all that's left of them, it seems like I can only keep them living by following their traditions."

"At some point, you need to realize that no matter what you do, you can't bring them back." I look towards where the voice originated. It was Boss, using my own words against me. I realized how right he was. _They're dead. Forever. You can't airbend. It's over._

He continues. "All you can do is live on for them."

I look down at my plate. Still half full of greens. I slide the plate across the metal table past Yin and to the empty spot of the table. "You're right."

"Wait?" asks Tom. "So you're going to have meat?"

" _Fucking peer pressure"_ I whisper to myself. "Yeah." I say.

"Okay. He says, suddenly getting very deep on the subject. "Blue Rare, Rare, Medium Rare, Medium- "

"Wait what?"

"Different cooking."

"Is there a difference?"

"Yes. A huge one."

"Can I just have some simple meat?"

"You cannot just have meat. This is your first non-pussy, non-vegetarian meal. This is a landmark in your life. So. Will you let me get you the perfect steak?"

"Fine."

"Okay." He says. "Blue Rare is practically uncooked. Still bloody, chewy, and hard to eat."

I look to Mark next to me who's smiling and turn back to Tom. "What the fuck?"

"Anyway. Rare is 75 percent uncooked, chewy, juices flowing."

"Okaaaaay."

"Medium Rare is moderately cooked, slightly chewy, juicy."

"Alright. I say. That sounds good."

"Sweet. You'll love this."

Never again did I eat a vegetarian meal.

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did or even if you didn't, please post a review. Have a good one.**


	18. Chapter 11: Stories on the Road

**The next day**

"Lero got help up"

We had been going among our daily lives and suddenly were alerted to get to the war room. That's where Boss broke the news that our scout had been captured.

"Where is he?" I ask.

Shau, one of the scouts, speaks up. "A patrol found him scouting up a storage facility full of weapons and other supplies. I was scouting it out with him, but we got found. They grabbed Lero, but I ran and escaped. Saw them take him down the road towards their main forward operating base in the Earth Kingdom."

"And this was…" asks Tom.

"2 hours ago. It's 30 miles away. No Fire Nation controlled pit stops on the way. At around 3 miles per hour, they should still be ways away."

"Kind of dumb to take such a long path." Speaks up Dave.

"It's the only nearby Fire Nation stronghold."

"Yeah." I say. "But without tanks or any other means of transportation, it seems like an unnecessary route. Especially for a patrol."

"Are there any Earth Kingdom operations past that point?" asks Yin.

"No. Not that I know of."

"You sure they're Fire Nation?" I ask. "Could they be renegades, camoed?"

"They bear Uniform and logo, in my book, they're Fire Nation."

"How far away?" asks Dave.

"At their current pace, 3 miles"

"Luke, Tom, and Shau, take a tank and get Lero."

"Got it." I say.

"Sure." Says Tom.

"Alright. Let's go" says Shau.

I eagerly and quickly go down the stairs and finally get to the newly established garage on this ship. I grab my small black backpack lying on a table next to the entrance and continue. I climb up the exterior armor plating of the tank and drop inside the already opened hatch and position myself onto the seat just as Tom pulls the lever to open the entrance and Tom gets in after me, seemingly familiar with the inside of the tank. I had spent a majority of the last two weeks getting to know the mechanics of these tanks.

I successfully get the engine running on the first tug, put it into drive, and immediately flor it out of the ship the minute Tom gets inside and opens the hatch. We weren't at any town, just parked at a nearby abandoned beach. Shau makes it to the front along with me and takes the passenger seat.

"Which way?!" I yell over the engine.

"Northwest! That way!" he yells pointing ahead of me in the correct direction.

I turn the wheel, altering the course of the tank and we get moving. "Yo, Tom!" I yell.

"What?!"

"Ever been in one of these before?"

"Yeah! In the Fire Nation with Boss and Dave!"

"Oh yeah! Right! You drove?!"

"No. Spotter!"

"Spotter?!" asks Shau. "I thought that they had firebenders in that position to provide fire support if they run into hostiles!"

"We were in a non firebending brigade!"

"They have those?!"

"Yeah! We were very popular." I don't catch the sarcasm.

"Really?"

"Of course not! We were the laughing stock of the military!"

"Sounds fun! That why you defected?!"

"No!"

"Why then?!" asks Shau.

"Too hot for my taste!"

I quietly laugh in the front seat and even over the engine can hear Shau do the same. He's pretty young. Only 15. Black, short hair.

"No, but Boss was very determined on leaving the Fire Nation! We served in the same squad! He was a captain and I was a private! He commanded our squad! He was and still is a natural leader!"

"How many were in your squad!?" I ask.

"9!"

"So where are the rest?!"

"When Boss decided to defect, he planned it with his most trusted troops. Me, Dave, and an old buddy, Shuno. We carefully spread the message through our squad and got 2 more before this asshole, Silrick, got the others to go against us. We didn't know until he and the others attacked us one night. They killed Mido and Viccan. We openly fought the rest, but they killed Shuno. We gladly returned the favor to Silrick and his buddies. No regrets!"

"How'd you escape?!"

"We were in the middle of a mission at the time! We were about to raid an Earth Kingdom camp. It made an easy place to surrender ourselves."

"What did they do?!

"Pretty crazy as a matter of fact! They didn't have the resources to provide for 3 prisoners so they took our armor and weapons and let us go if we promised to fight the Fire Nation!"

There was a moment of pause until Shau said "Well that's pretty stupid!"

"Yeah. You could have just easily reported their positon or have gone back to the Fire Nation! They're pretty naïve!"

"Yeah, but, we're men of honor. We kept to our promise, stole a ship, and now we're here!"

"Wouldn't it have been easier to steal a ship while in the Fire Nation?!" I asked.

"No! We're military. Any non-Navy personnel would be taken into questioning if they were found anywhere near a port if not on guard duty. And we can't exactly pose as if we were being transported by the ship!"

"I see! So Shau?! How'd you join up?!

"Saw an ad!"

I turn to Tom. "You posted ads!"

"Hey! We were new to the idea of a resistance and accustomed to Fire Nation propaganda!"

"But still. You posted Ads?! Did you also put your address on the poster?!"

Shau speaks up "As a matter of fact- "

"Shut up, Shau! We learned our mistake after we got raided by Fire Nation!"

"Figures!"

"So!?" asks Shau. "Luke, why'd you join?"

"Fire Nation killed my nation."

"What?"

"You heard him" says Dave. "Fire Nation attacked the Air Nomads 98 years ago and killed all except him!"

"You escaped?!"

"Yep!" I say.

"Wait! Bigger question. 98 years ago?!"

"Got frozen while escaping?!"

"Oh. Yeah. That answers all my questions!" he yells sarcastically.

"Good. Now let me pay attention to the road."

I focus my eyes more on the road and see the patrol up ahead. _There you are._


	19. Chapter 12: Lero

I heard the hatch open above me. We were already storming out. I start to move the tank into a better position for rabid exit and entrance if need be. Tom and Shau were already out. _What weapons do they have?_ I get off of the seat and grab my knife which is hanging out of the bag. It's 3 against 5. 4 if Lero helps out. He has no weapons. All we have are knifes. _Shit. This isn't going to go well._ I climb out of the tank and run to the path only a few feet behind the others.

One of the soldiers shoots a fireball towards us. Tom yells it out and We respectively find cover. It flies past me and hits the hull of the tank, causing no severe damage aside from burn marks. I hope for them to come to attack us, but they never do. _We should've played us for allies. We could have stolen Lero easily if they thought we were sent to take him. They may have wanted to see us though. Wouldn't have worked. No armor. Just tank._ I start to get up but see another fire ball form and begin its flight.

"Down!" I yell. I quickly move to a tree and hide behind it. The fire ball hits the ground a few feet to my right. I'm facing our own tank. It doesn't have any weapons. It's only armaments are a grappling hook for scaling mountains and side mounted spikes. _Useless._ A few more fireballs come flying by, but all of us are in respective cover. I see Tom a few feet in front of me crouched down behind a rock.

I quickly leave my cover behind the tree and run for his rock. I slide the last few feet and make it there.

"Plan?" I ask.

"No. You?"

"The tank maybe."

"What can we do?"

"Scare 'em off maybe. Their firebending isn't enough to take out the tank."

"Okay. Go."

"Me? You go."

"You're the only one who knows how to drive it."

"Exactly. That's why I shouldn't go on the suicide mission."

A larger ball hits the front of the rock, scaring the hell out of us both.

"Are we seriously arguing over this?! Just go!"

I look back at the tank. Its entire left side burnt from the fire. "Fuck me and my excellent motor skills." I say quietly.

I leave the rock and run for the tank, getting on the unexposed side. I somehow make it and climb up on the top of the tank and drop inside. I close the hatch and push down on the pedal. I never turned the tank off. It doesn't move though. I try restarting the engine but nothing. "Fuck!" I try turning the engine on again, but its tuck. "Okay. New plan." I pull the lever raising the grappling hook. I turn it slightly so that it's aiming behind the Fire Nation troops. _Okay. Remember the user's manual. Aim hook and arm hook. Check._ I had never unarmed it. This was my first time testing it. _Pull release plug._ I scan the cockpit and find it directly next to the lever. It operates just like the engine. Give it a strong pull. I grab the handle and yank it back. The entire tank shakes as It shoots and I see it strike a tree and stay put. _Perfect._ _Pull the release plug once again to retract the hook and draw yourself towards it._ I yank it again and the entire tank shakes as it gets unstuck and is pulled to the tree that I hit. _Release hook by pulling the lever back into its original state. The retraction will cause the grappling hook to disengage. Grabbling hooks are single uses. New ordnance may be obtained by submitting a request to a local Fire Nation ordnance specialist._ I pull the lever again. I turn the tank and I'm noticed. _Scare 'em off._ I turn the tank in their direction and drive. The fire at me a few times, but only hit the hull, luckily for me. A single burst penetrating the open hatch in front of me would burn me alive.

I accelerate as quickly as possible hoping to scare them off. Most run and retreat. I pity the one who failed to do as his comrades did and was hit by the tank. The rest had run away and left Lero in the middle of the road. The others come out from the forest and quickly run to where I am. I reverse the tank slightly and can hear the soldier underneath me. I open the hatch above me and come out. He's still alive. I see the others pull him out. His legs are crushed, but he's still conscious.

"What do we do?" I ask.

"Well." Says Tom. "Obviously we leave him and grab Lero."

 _The others will come back. Right?_ "Alright. Grab Lero and let's return to the ship." I don't know why, but it feels better to leave the soldier crippled than dead. I'm not sure whether it's pacifism speaking or sadism.

"Cool."

I see Shau pick Lero up from the ground. He's dressed in his usual clothes, but with a bag over his head. Shau takes it off. _It's Lero. Thank Raava._

I get out and help Lero inside the tank. I see the scorch mark all over the hull. The plan was horribly executed. We hid the minute they began firing at us. All we had were a few knives and a tank which we stole. No armor, no better weapons, just a few mindless kids. I walk to the soldier who's in the middle of the road. There's no bleeding, just mangled legs. He'll live. I grab his helmet first and take it off. Then his body armor and then the gauntlets. Next, the scratched and severely dent leg plates and finally, his weapons. We'll need all we can get.

"Alright." I say. "We're done here."


	20. Chapter 13: Supply Raid: Part 1

**5 Days Later: 8:00: Second to last day of Spring**

It was morning. Tom, Yin, and I were at a small town buying breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us for the day. Before we could even find a vendor, a Fire Nation convoy came in. 4 guards. It would have been easy to attack it right there and then, but the risk we would be putting on the civilians overweighed the potential reward. We've been following said convoy, keeping our distance in the adjacent woods for the past 15 minutes. We decided to send Yin back to the ship and drive the tank over to us. He knew enough of the basic mechanics to drive here. We thought we can easily pull this off.

"So, Tom. What do we got?"

"Not much. Just 2 knives, a map, and a few copper pieces."

"That's alright. Soon as Yin gets back, we'll be set."

We keep following. Another 20 minutes pass. Yin's still not here. We were only docked a mile west of the village. He should be here by now.

"Where the hell is he?" Tom says.

"No idea."

"You think he got lost?"

"I don't think so."

"Captured."

"No. Definitely not. Just a kid."

"If he was piloting a stolen tank, I don't think they'd care."

"Maybe. Should we go in alone?"

"Suicide. Just keep waiting."

I sigh. "I hate waiting."

We follow for a few more minutes until Tom quietly yells at me to get down and does so, bringing me down with a hand on my shoulder.

"What?" I whisper.

"More."

"Shit"

He crawls forward, up a small hill beneath the dirt road. I follow. There's another group of 8 soldiers. They cross paths with the convoy and join them. There're twelve now. It's over.

"Too many." He whispers. "It's over."

The soldiers continue on their way, 3 times as large now.

"Dammit."

"It's okay. We'll get another shot."

"Right." I whisper, not believing it at all.

When the convoy is far enough away, we both get up. "Let's head back. Maybe we'll see Yin."

"Alright." I say after a small pause. "Let's go."

The way back isn't nearly as excited as the way here. We had anxiousness and an eagerness for a fight. We've hardly seen any combat since we rescued Lero. Everything since then was relatively quiet. After the entire incident, Lero and Shau decided to temporarily quit scouting and become direct recruits. They'll most likely rejoin Mike and become full time scouts soon, but for now, we don't mind the backup.

We nearly reach the center of the woods when we hear a running in front of us. We don't have time to react until we realize it's Yin.

"Yin." I say. "Where the hell's the tank?"

He's obviously out of breath and barely manages to speak through his panting. "There…Was a problem."

"What?"

"I'll…show you when…we get back."

 **20 minutes later: 8:27**

The ship's port was already opened when we arrived. It was obvious that work was being done in our garage. Yin walks in first, followed by me, then Tom. Dave, Boss, and Shau are all working on the tank. Examining the parts, testing the engine, and most horribly, stripping the armor plates. This thing is my "precious" as you might call it. I run forward to the tank and stop a few feet in front of Boss.

"What the hell, Boss!? What the fuck are you doing?!"

"Stripping the tank for parts."

"Why?!"

" It stopped working."

"What were you doing with it?!"

"About to drive it until it didn't start."

 _Goddammit! It's just the gas!_ "Wait, Boss. Let me take a look."

"Sure. Go ahead."

I climb on top of the tank and open the hatch. I drop myself inside and head for the controls. The panel was dusty from the past few days without use. I wipe off the center of the board and saw the gas gauge. _Empty. Of course it is._

I climb back out, looked for Boss and see him standing aside at the end of the garage.

"Put it back, Boss. It's just gas."

"What?"

"Did you check the gas gauge?"

"What gas gauge?"

 _Freaking idiots._ "The gas gauge. How much gas is in the tank."

Dave walks over to boss, visible sweat on his forehead, obviously has been working on dismantling my beauty.

"Dave." Said Boss. "You check the gas gauge."

"What?"

"No." he said back to me.

"idiots." I whisper. "We just need to get some gas."

"Alright." Says Boss. "I'll get Mike to locate some for us."

"Thank you." I say, slightly annoyed at the entire situation.

"Hey. Sorry about this."

"it's fine. You didn't take any wires, pipes, or controls out, did you?"

"No."

I felt suddenly relieved. "Good. Thanks."

We were going to need gas. That much was obvious, we also need supplies. I walk to the ladder and climb up to the storage facility. It's nearly empty aside from a few boxes t the end of the room. Just a box of food and water. The other is a box of recovered armor and one or two spears. We have hardly anything, but we need to put it to use. We're just a ragtag militia, but we need to plan. We can't just walk into a fight empty-handed and expect to win.

I just remembered. We forgot to get our meals for the day. I'll send Yin out. I have a few copper pieces I can offer. I'll try asking him for free first. If it fails, I'll pay. I just don't want to leave for a while. I already failed to attack a Fire Nation convoy. That feels shitty enough. I'll just stay home so I don't have over 2 fuck-ups today.

 **4 hours later. 12:47**

We were all gathered in the war room. A map laid in front of us of a nearby Fire Nation colony. Not just some annexed village, but an entire colony. This was big.

"Got word from Mike. He got the message and did some looking. At the colony of Zun-Dai, a Fire Nation refueling station is located near the center of the colony."

"Shit." Said Mark from my right.

"Luckily" continued Boss despite the interruption "The fuel isn't directly brought into the colony. It's kept at an outer supply shack outside the walls. With it, weapons, food, water, and armor. Exactly what we need."

 _Perfect_

"It's slightly guarded. Maybe between 2 and 4 guards. Night shift may be different."

 _So we attack during the night. When?_

"So when do we leave?" I ask.

"Tonight."


	21. Chapter 14: Supply Raid: Part 2

**22:57**

 **Zun-Dai Outskirts**

 **2 Days Prior to Summer's Beginning**

"See it?" I ask

"No. Can't see anything. Too dark." Replies Tom, the head of this operation.

"Intel's reliable. Right?" says Mark

"Should be. Mike's good."

"When does the supply shipment in?" I ask.

"In around 2 minutes." Answers Tom. "We catch it when it goes in, take out the suppliers, fit whatever loot we can into the carriage, and leave. We have an hour to do so."

"How can you tell?" asks Shau.

"Clock tower in the colony."

"And by take out, you mean…?" I ask

"Whatever's required. I prefer nonlethal, but if it comes to it, we need to remain undetected. Got it?"

 _You've done it before. No regrets. What's a few more by your hands if it comes to it?_ _ **You're completely willing to kill if it comes to it. What happened to how you were raised. The passive home you grew up in?**_ _Gone. This is a new world. The old one burned 98 years ago._

"Got it."

"Good."

 _ **He picks me. Here for a month with little experience of killing. Said experiences near leading to nervous break downs.**_ _He knows you can do it. Don't disappoint._

"Hey Tom?"

"Yeah."

"Why'd you choose me for this?"

"Transport's here. Only 2 guards" Interrupts Shau from my right.

"Perfect." Says Tom. "Armor on?"

Confirmation comes from Me, Shau, and Mark. Boss took my advice and advised Tom to have us wear Fire Nation chest plates, shoulder, and knee pads. Plus, the protection, it offers a pretty badass display. Plus, the masks equals perfection.

"Masks?"

Once again, the same confirmation.

"Remember. Quiet voices, loud appearance."

"Let's do this." Says Mark.

Tom goes first, sliding down the hill from which we had our perfect view of the colony and the supply shipment.

Shau follows him, then me. Last is Mark. By the time I'm down, both guards were already choked out and lying unconscious on the ground, meaning my job is to check the shipment. I recover from the drop and run to the carriage, opening the red curtains on the side. From my view, it's loaded with weapons with plenty of room for more.

"Supplies is here. Weapons. Room for more."

"Then let's go." Says Tom.

I close the curtains and get on top of the right-most ostrich horse as Tom takes the left. The rest get in the carriage. Following the path, we see the storage shed up ahead.

"Hey." Says Tom. "Anything useful in there? We got two up ahead."

"Bows, spears, and swords."

"Let's do a drive by then." I say.

"Good idea."

When we're around 50 feet from the shed, Tom and I yank the reigns, turning us to the left. I see 2 arrows fly out my side proceeded by two dead soldiers slumping on the ground.

 _ **At least it wasn't me doing it.**_ _Would've been nice to hit a living target with a bow, though._

"Good. Get out." Says Tom. "Start looting and I'll get this ready to be loaded.

"Got it." Says Mark from behind us as he and Shau get out. I follow them and we head for the shed.

I get there and try pushing the large wooden doors open. It's barricaded. _Wood's old. Kick it in._ I send a kick below the door handle and a few planks dislocate themselves. I send another at the loose boards and it breaks open. Enough room for me to fit in. I make my way through the small hole and turn around, raising the board that held the doors closed. Mark and Shau knock the doors open as soon as I raise it. It's not until the moon light shines in that I see the stash inside. Racks of weapons, shelves of all sized armor including kids' size. Good for Yin.

Food, water, and most importantly, gasoline. Behind me, I hear the carriage being drawn in, side to the door. "Take your pick, but the gas goes first. Load it in." says Tom. The gasoline is stored in barrels around half my height. Probably room for all 5 of them in the carriage. Enough for the tanks for around hopefully another few months. It gets loaded in first, still leaving plenty of room for whatever else we want. It's like a birthday all you can eat buffet, but instead of food, it's weapons. A true birthday experience.

It's around 30 minutes until our deadline. I spot Tom pulling out a box from under a shelf, having difficulty. I walk over to him and grab the same end as him and pull, using the time to finish my question.

"So. Why'd you pick me?" I ask.

"Thought this would be some good experience."

"I've been here for over a month." I say between heavy breaths as we pull it out. "If you want trainees, get Yin."

"No." "Too young."

"I'm only around a year older than him."

Right as I say that, the box breaks free and we pull it out.

"But that's about to change. Isn't it?"

 _23 more minutes._

"Yeah. I guess so."

Boss gets on his knees and opens the two restraints holding down the chest's lid. He opens it as it reveals lines of gold pieces in 10 rows of 50 with 10 layers. Enough to buy 5 moderately sized Fire Nation first class homes or in our case, something a lot better.

"Holy shit." I say. "That is one hell of a find."

"God damn, you're right."

We spend a few moments recounting the amount, to make sure we're not mistaken to a point where the others come over and we're all looking at the jackpot in front of us.

"Dibs." I say.

"Shut up, Luke." Says Shau from behind me. "You're ruining the moment."

Eventually, we gain the common sense to load it into the wagon immediately before we reach our deadline and the Fire Nation comes to bring the daily supplies into the colony which is only 12 minutes away.

I go to where the shelves of armor were located fill a corner of the carriage with the red and black armor plating. With 7 minutes left, I go to where the weapons are located and take a promising box off the shelf. I drop it onto the ground and quickly open it to see if it's worth taking.

"Crossbows." I say to myself.

"What?" asks Mark from behind me.

"Crossbows. Heard of them?"

"Yeah. Mechanized bows and arrows, right?"

"Yeah. Let's get it onboard."

3 minutes left. The hour went by too quickly. We got enough however. We were rich now with weapons, armor, food, water, gasoline, and money. The best kinds of rich. The clock tower from the center of the colony strikes midnight. We're already far enough from the town not to be seen. Our deadline has been reached. The Fire Nation will soon realize they lost more money than they knew what to do with aside from funding research and development of new weapons. It also marks my 12th birthday. It's a good day to grow older.


	22. The 1st Non-Bending Battalion

**Saturday**

 **7** **th** **day of Winter,**

 **97 years after Air Nation Genocide**

 _Please note that Fire Nation Private, Quin Longer of the 1st Non-Bending Battalion, Squadron 6 is here by promoted to the rank of Captain following the suicide of Captain Rodrick Bridger. He is to command his eight comrades: David Sutcher, Tomas Brensky, Silrick Ventoro, Shuno Metallis, Mido Prowlest, Viccan Samira, Hiero Savuti, and Mackinson Vense. Please refer to this article if rank confusion arises._

 **Notice of Promotion from Fire Lord Ozai's Palace to 1st Non-Bending Battalion General Zuik Odair.**

So that's it. I've been promoted to Captain of Squad 7. Still feel wrong to have a replacement on such short notice following a devastating suicide. Doesn't seem right. In the end, though, it's not my call. It's the Fire Lord's. Which seems to be the only thing that matters now.

I have 8 people who I'm responsible for. Any wrong move and they could all die within a second. One wrong move. One fuck up is all it takes to kill everyone. Not to mention that I'm the outsider now. I'm not like the rest of them anymore. Hell. I used to be a lookout and now I'm the squad's captain. They should have just hired a new one. Then we would be ten strong again. Now we only have nine. It's unfortunate.

This, however is what I chose. Well, what I was recruited into at the very least. I'm barely even an adult and I'm already in the middle of the war. Does th Earth Kingdom recruit this young? I don't even know, but I'm a Fire Nation citizen. It may not be the best, but my homeland is mine. I need to stand for it.

The others seem to see me as more of an outsider though. I'm no longer considered their equal although we're still one the same. The don't see it that way, however. Tom, Shuno, and Dave have begun to refer to me as "Boss". I don't think it'll stick. I think it's just a small joke that'll pass in time. It seems to be a branding on me that I'm not who I was before which is complete bullshit.

I hope my command is just temporary. I prefer my role of lookout. I've got good eyes. I should put them to use.

"Boss!" I hear from behind me in the forest. It's Shuno We've set up camp in a clearing west of an Earth Kingdom controlled village. Orders should be coming in within the hour via messenger hawk.

"It's Quin!" I yell back.

"Whatever! What are your orders?"

"Should be coming in soon."

"Think that the Earth Kingdom is holding out in the town?"

"It would explain why we're here. I doubt we'd be stationed here if it was just civvies. Must be military there."

"Probably."

"Would you like me to send out a scout, sir?"

"No. And don't call me that."

"So long as you're waiting next to the command tent for orders from the general with soldiers under your command and I'm one of them, I'll call you sir."

He walked towards where some of the others where cooking lunch together. He's right though. If I wasn't in this position, I'd join them and be one of them, but duty calls that I stay here and await further orders. Maybe after they come, there'll be some left.

A few minutes later, the squawking of the messenger hawk sounds from over the forest. I turn my eyes to the noise as it comes into view. I hold my arm out. Recognizing me as the recipient, it lands on my arm. I pat it on the head and open the container latched onto it's back. I take out the rolled piece of paper within the container and reclose it. The hawk takes off to return to where it came from, I watch it leave and turn my attention to the orders in front of me. I unroll the paper and read what is demanded of me for today.

 _Operation Target: Zu-Fao Village_

 _Operation Commander: Quin Longer_

 _Operation General: Zuik Odair_

 _Operation Orders: Restrain, Confiscate, and Eliminate_

 _Operation Description: Restrain Zu-Fao civilians. Confiscate all property for future Fire Nation requisition. Eliminate witnesses and/or survivors._

 _By decree of Fire Lord Ozai_

 **This is just the first chapter of a small series. I'll post it as a different story so you can just read it for background information, origin stories, etc. I'd appreciate if you gave me your thoughts on this in the review section.**


	23. Season 3: The Fire Nation Resistance

**3 weeks later**

Things have changed. For the better. Ever since we stole nearly everything from the warehouse, we've been different. Better. More confident in our abilities. A few days after we raided the warehouse, we returned to Zun-Dai. The growth of military activity was a sure sign of change. Possible extra security. We may have been overstocked with food, but taking a trip for food on solid ground was a welcome change. It was Tom, Mark, Yin, and me. We sat down and from a table behind us was a conversation regarding a certain "crime" occurring 3 weeks ago. Tom set down his fork first, slightly turning his head as if listening to a sound. I followed and heard the talking. Soon, we were all paying attention to the conversation.

"Yeah, I heard. Crazy. Isn't it?"

"Yeah. Killed a few guard too, I heard."

"I heard too. What was their goal?"

"Supplies I guess. They cleared the warehouse out."

"Would that be hurting us?"

"No. It's military. We weren't getting any even if we were starved."

"Well then. Think I'm better with it in their hands anyway. Rather some resistance have it than the Fire Nation."

I turned back and everyone at our table had huge ass smiles on their faces. We all tried to hide our expressions and left a few minutes later. It was then, when we left, that we noticed that the warehouse had been demolished and the remaining supplies was being moved within the walls. We actually, for once had an effect. More than that, a negative one on the Fire Nation.

Since then, morale has been up, and we've been getting braver. 1 week ago, we found a Fire Nation fort set up near a town. While the troops were away, leaving only one behind, we knocked him out, tied him up, brought him to the woods, littered the fort with gunpowder and lit it afire only after looting the weapons and supplies. We had so quickly taken an amazing 180 turn in the right direction. We've started to finally equip ourselves with stolen armor. Repainted to our choice to no longer match the colors of the Fire Nation. The other day, while patrolling a nearby route to a colony, I was hit in the chest with an arrow from a Fire Nation archer. The plate of armor beneath my shirt stopped the arrow in its tracks and saved my life.

We now believed that nothing could stop us. The tides are changing little by little.


	24. Chapter 2: Breaking Through

"Only around 7 guards" says Boss from the other side of the dining room table, marking this as my first war meeting outside of the war room. "Rest are at the nearby town. We go in with the tank, get out, incapacitate the guards, loot the place, and blow it up. Nobody need to die there."

Ever since our second to last meeting with the enemy, being the warehouse, we've adopted a non-violent inter philosophy. It's been working out perfectly ever since.

Mark speaks up. "What can we find there in terms of resistance?"

"Just normal soldiers. I don't think we should find any firebenders."

"How do we attack?" I ask.

"You and Mark will go in from the back. There's a wooden wall that can easily be broken through with the tanks. Yin will go as well."

He continues. "Dave, Tom, and I will go in through the front.

"So we go now?" asks Tom

"Yeah. Get to the armory, grab your weapons and armor, and we go."

I get up and push some loose strands of hair out of my eyes. It's near noon. We'll eat in town I guess. Dave and Mark get to the armory first and open the heavy, metal door to the small weapons and armor sanctuary. I walk in after them turning right to where my armor and preferred weapons are hanged. I grab the blue and black painted chest plate, previously hanged on the wall, and put it on atop of my dim, grey shirt. Even through it, I can feel the coolness of the unused metal. I also grab the elbow and knee pads, painted with the same color scheme and put them on as well. The elbow and knee pads are especially cold against my bare skin where my clothes don't touch. Everyone else is almost ready to go. Tom with his orange painted chest piece and open helmet, Dave with only his unpainted elbow and knee pads, Mark with full plated leg and arm pieces, and Yin with a still unpainted almost full set of child sized Fire Nation armor. It's terrifying that the Fire Nation possesses army fatigues for children. No doubt already sending them into combat. _We're the good guys here. Remember that._

I grab my long, 12 inch, straight knife from the wall. I kept it from an officer we interrogated, who gave us the location of this fortress. I walk out the same time as Yin does, wearing a small Fire Nation helmet on his smaller head.

"So Luke." He says through the enclosed helmet. "You driving?"

"No way I'm letting you drive, shorty." I say jokingly.

"Screw you" he says, still muffled. We continue talking as we walk. "What do you think are the odds the tank actually breaks through the wall?"

"Pretty high." I say. "The tank's made of Iron, the wall's wood. Including the angled front of the tank usually designed to clear a path of snow, it should literally split the wood in front of us and push it to the side. If it gets dented though, I'm gonna be pissed."

Tom catches up next to us. "So." He says. "How's yours doing?" he says referring to my tank. In the past few weeks, he himself has learned how to drive and it's been a topic of discussion between us, both being designated drivers.

"Good. Going to need some more red paint for the sides though."

"We'll pick some up later. Mechanics working well?"

"Well enough. Definitely not perfect, but doesn't stop on me and start up without a problem. Might need to check the engine though."

"Yeah." We reach the garage and Tom hits the door control, lowering the ramp and exposing the bright sky. We separate and enter our tanks. I see Mark follow in a few minutes later, saying nothing. He's been rather untalkative for the past few days. I figured it's best to give him his space.

I start the engine on the first try and watch as the gauges come to life. _Gas is good. Perfect._

"Yin!" I yell above the engine. "They Ready?!"

I look behind me as Yin pokes his head out of the hatch and comes back down bringing the "Ready!"

I step down on the pedal and the tank goes cruising down the metal ramp onto the dirt foliage. It's too risky to dock at down. It may be trickier, but safer to dock at impromptu locations.

 **24 Minutes Later**

I hear the banging of the metal to my side meaning according to Yin that we have to stop. I release the gas pedal and hold down the brakes slowly. I see Yin climb back in and soon enough I see Boss out of my viewport, looking at me saying "It's up ahead! Go around the fort with a .5-mile radius between us and the target!"

"Got it!" I yell. Yin closes the hatch above him and I resume the tank's motion. Soon enough we're in position meaning the others are ready to go the second we break through. I decide that this is the appropriate time to test a previously untested feature of the tank. I flip a switch and can hear the spikes extending from the wheels. I assume that it will be of use when breaking through the barrier. I look behind me and Yin is looking intently at the wooden wall a half mile in front of us. Mark's usual uninterested expression is gone, replaced with one of intense focus. _We're ready._ I give the engine a needed pull and push the pedal to the metal. The entire bulk of metal shifts underneath us, pushing us all back as the tank accelerates to its target. I look around for some sort of restraint that seems no-existent. As the tank accelerates, the wall approaches us at a frightening rate. When the distance between us is measurable in feet, I reach forward, close the hatch, and wait.


	25. Chapter 3: The Wooden Wall Fort

**Be sure to read part 24 if you haven't yet**

In the darkness of the enclosed cockpit, I had a good idea of what was coming, but the knowledge of the upcoming impact wasn't enough to stop the shock from the impact. One second, I was leaning back against the seat, holding anything I could, the next, everything just moved forward along with myself. My teeth hit each other at force that pained both sets, I felt aa pain in my stomach, and my head collided with the metal dashboard in front of me.

I raise my head and all I see is blurred doubles. 2 dashboards, 2 view screens. I move my head up and feel the throbbing pain in my head. I look around me and the hatch has opened. I can't see Mark and only see an unconscious Yin, head on the back of the passenger's seat.

I reach forward with my hand and shake his shoulder. "Yin" I quietly say, but he doesn't respond. All he does is grunt. _He'll be fine._ I reach to the empty passenger seat where my backpack was sat, but it fell to the ground in the crash. I pick it up, grab the knife and grab the wooden spear leaning against the tank wall next to it. I get up from my seat, ducking my head to avoid banging it, and I poke my head out of the hatch. The entire area around me is consisted of flying dirt, smoke, and sawdust. I can see behind the tank a large hole and nearly completely collapsed wall due to the tank. I walk forward out of the smoke and can hardly make out the images of anyone I recognize. I'm still seeing doubles. Double tank, double conflicts, and double the soldier running at me. It's not even reaction triggering my movements, just common sense. _He has a spear. Sword is best, but knife won't work. Use spear._ I tuck the knife in my pocket and grab my spear with both hands. _He's charging, point towards me. When foot away, strafe left and knock spear out of his hands with yours._ When he's the appropriate distance away, I sidestep to the right, already changing my mind. It doesn't work and the tip of the spear luckily collides with m armor plate, knocking me onto my back on the ground. I raise my spear just as the soldier raises his for an attack. He brings it down just as I hold mine in front of me. I hold mine horizontal with his vertical and as the paths are perpendicular, I use my spear to knock his above my head. His legs are planted directly in front of me. I kick at his left knee, but it doesn't budge. _He's trying to get his spear. Stop him._ I turn the spear around, with the non-lethal end facing him and shove him back which works. I take the chance to regain my footing, but he momentarily kicks me in my side just as I'm crouched, bending over and I fall back down. I'm still holding onto my spear and as he reaches for his, still planted in the ground, I partially get up and swing the tip at his helmet. The stone tip of the spear collides with his helmet, knocking it clean off. I bring the spear back, swing again, this time colliding with his head, knocking his out of the fight. When I look back, a fight still seems active. I take a moment to scan the base. Wooden fort with wall covering 3 sides, left, right, and back (now with a giant ass hole in it). There's a wooden command building at the back right. 2 stories. Attached to the left wall is a large building, most likely a cafeteria and in the front right are the outhouses. I look to my right at the command post and bring my vision up just as I see on the roof, an archer with his bow trained on me, arrow pulled back. I jump to my right just as he lets go of the arrow and it lands where I previously stood. _If I stay lying, I'm dead._ I try to get up, looking back at the archer, already with another arrow ready. When he's about to pull, a figure behind him grabs him and throws him off the roof. I watch as the archer lands on his side on the dirt ground, He's still breathing, barely. I look up and see Dave at the top of the building, surprisingly content look on his face.

"What?!" he yells. "No thank you?"

I smile and yell back "It was under control."

"Under control my ass! Get in here and grab this shit. There's some weapons in here!"

With that, he walks back down into the building. I walk to the archer and grab his bow which was in pretty bad shape, and I grab his quiver along with a few scattered arrows.

I walk forward and see Tom and Boss approach me.

"I bump fists with Tom who proceeds by patting me on the back and I half hug Boss who looks life he has ash on his face."

"You good?" I ask.

"Yeah." He replies. "You?"

"Back hurts." I admit

"Where's Mark?"

"I don't know. Where's Yin?"

"In the tank I think. Got knocked out."

"Shit."

Boss walks away and through the hole in the wall I see Mark come walking in.

"Hey!" I yell "Where the hell were you?"

"Fire Nation outside the walls. He's out."

A few minutes later, Boss and the others are walking out of the building with whatever they found. Surprisingly, my headache returned and I began to feel a sense of lightheadedness. I see Tom walk back into the fort with some of the dynamite and he comes to me and asks "Hey Luke, you hit?"

I immediately look down at my chest for blood stains but see none. I look at my back over my shoulder, but don't see or feel nothing. "No. Why?"

"Your nose. It's bleeding. A lot."

I bring my index finger to below my nose and look at it to reveal a completely bloodied finger. Suddenly, the pain in my head intensifies with the dizziness and I black out.


	26. Chapter 4: The New Ones: Part 1

It's a flame. Not a large one, but it grows in its dark background. I can hear the fire as well. It's loud. I can also hear voices. Some I recognize. Some I don't. I hear a voice heavy with wisdom, a voice of family and friendliness, one of spiritual guidance. The flame grows until it's all I see. Then it's gone.

When I woke up, I could only recognize where I was. The poor quality infirmary onboard the ship including only a few bandages, water buckets, and some herbal medicine. The infirmary only had 3 bed. I was on one. I looked to my left, saw nothing. On my right was Yin. I couldn't tell if he was unconscious or sleeping, but he wasn't awake. I closed my eyes for a while and reopened them. I felt the pain in my head grow again, so I closed my eyes.

When I next woke up, somebody else was in the room. I tried to sit up to get a better view and they he turned around, revealing himself as Tom.

"Tom?" I asked.

"Luke!" he said rather surprised. "Your awake."

"Yeah. What happened"

He came close and patted me on the back before rearing back. "You passed out in the middle of the fight, you pussy." He said with a joking smile on his face.

I managed a smile and let it leave after a few seconds and said "So. Did we take the base out or what?"

"Yeah. Put some dynamite in the CP (Command Post) and diner. Blew the place to rubble."

"Damn. Wish I could've seen it." I look to my right and again see Yin still lying there.

"And Yin?" I ask.

"He's fine. He woke up a few hours ago then fell back asleep."

"What was it?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to him?"

"Mild concussion. His head couldn't very well take the impact from the dashboard. When he woke up, he said his head hurt. Badly."

"And me?" I ask.

"We think it's the same. You said once when you were half awake that your head hurt."

"My nose bled too."

There was a pause

"Yeah. Boss thought you hit it, but there was no external damage on your nose. Does it hurt?"

I shake my head and say "No."

"Then I think it might be mild internal bleeding. Give itself time to heal and the bleeding will stop. Get some rest."

"Thank Tom" I say. He leaves.

I don't fall back asleep and I eventually hear shuffling to my right.

"Yin?" I ask.

His sheets start moving and he moves up from underneath him, disheveled hair and aa tired face, still squinting eyes as if just born.

He lies down and looks at me. "Luke?"

"Sup Yin." I say with a smile.

He looks back up at the metal ceiling and says "What happened?"

"Meh. Just a small crash." I say.

"Small?" he says, sounding more alive. "Tom told me the tank got totaled."

"I suddenly sit up straight with worry and say "Wait. What?!"

He chuckles and slides back down into a lying position. "I'm just screwing with you."

The knot in my stomach disappears and I feel a lot better. "Thank Raava"

"I'm doing good. In case you were wondering."

"Yin." I say in a father like tone. "I for one have my priorities straight. Tanks first, associates second."

"Associates. Is this some kind of profession to you?"

"Kind of, but without the weekly pay check. Speaking of which, how are you feeling, Yin?" I say mockingly.

"Oh. Fine. I guess. Head hurts. Like. A lot. You?"

"Same." I say. "And bleeding" I say to make myself the more injured one here, thus more important.

"Really now?"

"Yep."

We were silent for a while before I spoke.

"They told you about the base?"

"Yeah. Heard it got blown to bits. Sad we missed it though."

" **You** missed it." I corrected. "Unlike some people, I didn't sleep on the job. Took out one guard before I blacked out."

"Hmm. Hey. I'm gonna sleep."

"Alright. 'Night."

"'Night."

I figure I might as well sleep as well. No point staying awake. When I do wake up, Tom is back in the room checking looking through supplies.

"You know." I say, scaring him. "I never took you as a doctor."

"Being a doctor." He says casually. "Requires intelligence. Between everyone here, I think we all know who takes that role."

"Dave?" I say jokingly.

He chuckles and says "That guy would take your blood pressure by squeezing your neck and counting the times blood goes through every minute."

I chuckle too and give him time to do his work.

"Hey" he says, breaking the silence.

"Boss, Dave, and I are going to town for breakfast. Want anything?"

It's not until then I realize how hungry I am. "Yeah. Could I get some roasted turtle duck?" I ask.

"Ooooh." He coos mockingly. "Someone's being a bad air nomad. First you don't shave and now this?"

I reach up and once again feel my now full set of short brown hair that I've grown fond of and say "Fine then. Roasted seaweed as a side."

"That's better."

He's about to leave before I say "Should I ask Yin if he wants anything?"

"Don't wake him. He needs his rest. He hinted to me that he loves koi fish. He'll get a nice surprise when he wakes."

"Sounds Good." I say and he leaves. This place was it. A real home with caring people who actually looked after each other. We were like a family.

Yin wakes up again next to me.

"Hey" I say.

"Hey."

"Sleep well?"

"Asking me if I slept well on top of a metal bed with 1 thin mattress and a sheet. Answer is…Yes I did."

I chuckle.

"Did Tom stop in?" he asks.

"Yea. Was checking supplies. He, Boss, and Dave went out to get breakfast."

"Oh." I hear him quietly whisper something to himself like "Please get cooked Koi"

"I think you'll be happy" I say.

An hour later, they come back and hand us our food at which Yin excitedly says "Thank you!"

Tom's about to leave before I ask "Hear anything interesting in town?"

His expression changes to one of seriousness and he says. "Yeah. It's bad. The Fire Nation blames them for the attack. They're going to burn the place."

I set down the food on my lap and say "You're kidding. We have to help."

"I'm going to talk it over with Boss and the others. I'm all for it just so you know."

"Alright." I say. "Thanks."

And he leaves. We may have just put the lives of innocents on the line.


	27. Chapter 5: The New Ones: Part 2

**7 Hours Later**

It was night and Tom, Boss, and I were the only ones going out. They insisted I stayed behind, but I convinced them that I could use the fresh air and I was feeling better. In all honesty, the bleeding may have stopped, but I could still feel the headache at the back of my skull. I was hoping being outside would help, but It hasn't up to this point.

We saw the town. Somewhat like the others, but different. Wooden building suited to the forested environment. Partial walls and gates most likely being recently worked on and little activity in the streets. _Is this like last time? Everyone's burnt corpses rotting inside their own homes?_ But it wasn't. There was light originating from homes. Too stable to be a flame started by firebenders. A man turned onto the path where we were, exited the building and walked towards us. He seemed friendly enough. I remained calm as did the others.

The man was maybe of 5 and three quarters feet tall. Only 4 inches taller than me at most. He was older, visible wrinkles on his face. Possibly mid-40s.

"Why are you here?" he asked in an audibly tired voice. "It wasn't us. We already told you this."

"What?" I asked. Confused as to what this man was talking about.

But Boss seemed to understand what he meant. "We're not Fire Nation" he said.

Of course it was our partial armor that set him off.

"We're here to help you with your problem." He continued.

I expected to see a look of relief on the man's voice, but instead saw anger.

"Then you are the ones who caused this. Aren't you? You attack the Fire Nation, they blame us, then you leave. Is that it?"

"We're here now!" Spoke up Tom. "Aren't we?"

"Only to bring about more conflict, no doubt"

He began to take a step back ready to leave before Boss said "We want to help you get rid of this problem. We have experience with the Fire Nation. We can send them away."

The man turned around. "Violence will only cause more to come. It's best you leave now before the Fire Nation is told who the real culprits are." _So he planned to rat us out._

Boss stepped forward. I thought he was about to hit the man, but I should know better. He only said, "There doesn't need to be violence. We just need to show them we can defend ourselves."

"So they can come back with more?"

 _No they wouldn't. From what I saw in the attack, the soldiers there were around 16. Recruits. They're here only for holding their ground. They can threaten a defenseless town, but if power is displayed and we send them running, they won't comeback. Right?_

So that's what I said. Everyone looked at me as if I had spoken in tongues, but then Boss said "He's right."

 _I am?_

"He is" confirmed Tom.

 _Alright then._

The man sighed and said "What do you want in return?"

 _Nothing._ I thought. _We started this._

"Just housing for a few nights and food. Nothing more." Said Boss.

There was a pause in which I thought the answer would come out as a no, but it didn't.

"You have a deal"

He pointed us out to an empty housing complex we could spend the night at. He told us the Fire Nation would be back tomorrow to destroy the town. I don't see how he could've gotten along without us in any way.

He gave us the key and we entered. I found a bed by a corner and sat down on my bed instantly. The pain came back. With a pounding head, I set my bag down in the corner, took off the iron armor plate and dropped it with a loud _clank_ against the stone that probably alerted the others. I didn't notice. I took off the shoulder and knee pads, dropped them as well. Removed my clothes to just an undershirt and pants and feel asleep on top of the covers.

That night I dreamed of something different. It was a house. A small one. Just a cabin. My view changed to just a darkness with a single spark in the middle. I watched the hole process of one spark falling down, the another, then another. Eventually a fire started and my view changed. It was the outside of thee house again. This time, there was a light originating from inside. Through the windows was a family. Father, mother, daughter, and son.

My view returned to the dark room, this time lit by a flame. I returned the house, nor as well on fire. Fire engulfing the entire house, smoke escaping through the windows and chimney, wood breaking off, and screams from the inside. The I woke up. Back in the real world where stuff made sense. Considering.


	28. Chapter 6: The New Ones are Gone

The town already had a militia. It was small, but bigger than our numbers. It put into perspective why we were recruited for this. Were we of good quality or was it the other way around for them. They greeted us when we woke. Two people walked in. both Men and told us to meet at the town center in 30 minutes. So we did.

"We can set up defenses at these two entrances." Said the man that appeared to be their leader, pointing at the two entrances, both opposite of each other. One at the east end and on at the west. "We divide our manpower and cover both equally." But it wasn't a good idea. There were 8 of us. Possibly 20 Fire Nation. We've been getting lucky. The only soldiers we've been fighting were fresh out of training and rookies. That's why none of us had died yet, aside from Azeh. How do I still remember his name? It felt like years ago, but was only a few weeks. It's still Summer. How did time go by so slowly? As I said, we were lucky. We had it easy and we took advantage of it. We killed soldiers. I did. But when I did, I never felt in control. It was as if something else was using my body. I feel a hit of pain come back in my head and visibly wince from the pain.

"Hey." Whispers Tom from next to me. "You ok?"

I look up at him, nod, and say yes and then speak up. "The Fire Nation camp was West from here. When their reinforcements arrive from the chain of outposts, it will also be from the east. We should block the west in case of ambush, but shouldn't we focus on where we know they'll be coming from?"

Everyone turned their eyes on me which made me feel nervous as if I had stuttered. Nobody responded for a while and felt myself growing nervous. Then a man who's name I didn't know or who's face I didn't recognize spoke up, "It's not a bad plan. We need to focus all we have on the certainty." _Finally, someone saw it my way._ I let a breath out of relief and looked at the commander who's name I picked up as Selle.

"Alright" He said. "We'll block off the West and focus on the East. Let's go."

Everyone disbanded, but I had no idea where to go. I looked to where Boss and Tom were headed to and decided to follow before feeling someone tap my shoulder. I looked around. It was the guy who backed me up. He was around 5'8. 4 inches taller than me. He was standing next to a girl who seemed around my age with dark brown and short hair. She was around my height as well.

"Hey." I said to the man. "Thanks for backing me up. And you are?"

"I'm Amek" he said in a friendly and inviting voice. "Amek Odair. And this is my sister, Zara."

I looked back at him to realize he had his arm outstretched for a hand shake. I took it and felt his hard squeeze and I tried to return it, failing miserably. I extended my arm to Zara, but she seemed not to acknowledge me. I brought my arm back down, slightly embarrassed and looked back to Amek. "You think it was a good idea?" I asked.

"Yeah. Why not? If we focus on one side, we're ready, but if they try to come the other way, we'll hear it and get to it before they break whatever barricade they make."

"And if they scale the wall?" I said, noticing Zara had gotten bored and turned the other way.

"We don't have any barbed wire."

"And they'll be arriving soon. We can't spare the time to fortify it. Let's just hope they're idiots."

A few hours passed when we heard "They're here!"

I unholstered my spear from my back which I began to carry in the last few minutes when I noticed time began to run out. The West wall was blocked by wooden crates. Not exactly anti flammable, but still something. The East was blocked by 3 of the militants. The rest were standing in wait behind the walls next to them. I didn't know why, but I could feel as if something was going to go wrong. I looked around and Saw Tom and Boss in front of me, against the wall to the right side of the entrance.

I listened for when everything would start and began to look around. I could see Amek on the other side of the wall in cover, but not Zara. _Forget it. Pay attention._ Over time, I felt my grip loosen on the spear and that's the second hell broke loose. In a matter of seconds, an explosion of fire had engulfed the three militants in the front of the entrance. The explosion sent us flying back onto the ground. When I looked up from my position on the dirt, all three militants were dead, one of them being Selle. All dead in a matter of seconds. I looked back at the bodies still aflame and felt like puking.

I felt an arm grab my wrist and let it pull me up. It was Boss. "We have to go now!" he said. We and Tom ran behind the nearest home and watched as the Fire Nation marched in. There were at least 20 soldiers in full armor. They weren't the same ones we fought at the camp. I hear a large explosion from the other side of the town. Al three of us ran from our cover to another building and looked through an alley way, watching soldiers march in from another direction. They destroyed the fortification. It was over.

"We need to get out of here" said Boss.

"What about the town?" asked Tom. I could only keep watching the destruction as the set homes aflame, executing militants whose names I didn't know along with random civilians.

"It's too late. We need to get out of here as soon as possible. Make for an exit and leave."

I looked at the two entrances, both were being guarded by troops. I saw two soldiers enter the alley right before I went back behind the building on the far southwest side of the village with Tom and Boss.

"Both exits are guarded" I said, "And we have troops coming at us."

Boss moved toward the corner and took a peek before saying, "get to cover"

He kneeled down by the corner ready to strike when the popped out. I held my spear up from behind Boss with Tom behind me. I heard the footsteps grow louder and tensed my arms. I saw the red and black armor and followed Boss as he got up, swinging the spear in a non-lethal motion at one's head, knocking the helmet clean off and I followed, swinging at the legs, knocking him off his feet and swung the back of the spear at his head, putting him out of it. Seeing the helmet fly off gave me an idea.

"Let's disguise ourselves as them and get out."

Problem was there were three of us and we only had two sets. I had to go out in my armor that was too big for me and lead a soldier into the alley with the claim of there being an armed hostile I needed assistance with. When he reached the alley, the others ambushed him and stole his armor.

When we walked out of the alley into the street, did we see for the first time what had happened. The market was aflame, buildings being engulfed with flames, smoke clouding the air. It was hell. I could hear screaming and saw how the soldiers made no noise. They just followed orders mindlessly. It made me begin to wonder if I was fighting humans or something else. We exited the town without question and looked back. It was gone. I couldn't help but wonder if the mayor was still alive to be cursing our name or if he was one of the first to be killed.

We went further into the forest when we saw them. They turned our weapons on us instantly, but lowered them when we took off our helmets. In my now clear view, I could see them. Zara and Amek were alive. Somehow, the survived.

"What the hell happened back there?" Boss asked, even though I knew it wasn't a question, but a statement that everything went to shit."

"We lost." I said quietly from his side. "We lost."


	29. Chapter 7: Mark's Idea

When we got back, there were two more of us. There weren't supposed to be more than before. There was supposed to be peace for the village, but now it's in flames and all but two people survived. What the fuck did we do wrong. I've been trying to figure it out for the past few hours during our walk of shame to the ship, but I can't figure it out. We were just wiped out in **seconds**! Why are we alive? What did we do to still be standing?

We got back. Dave greeted us at the entrance. Yin was probably recovering and Mark was who knows where. Dave offered a shoulder to lean on to Amek, whom he'd never met, but needed help nonetheless. While the rest left, I just stayed in the garage that smelled of burning gasoline and machinery even with its lack of use in the past week. What did _I_ do wrong?

I left where I found myself sitting on the floor against the wall and started up the stairs. I met Tom midway down who was "just on his way to check on me". I brushed him off and continued up the stairs. As I walked the first floor hallway, in a room to the right was Amek being lied down on a bed with Tom and Boss carefully looking at him. Zara was also in the room. Through the people around him I could see heavy bleeding. He was more hurt than I thought. I could only stare for a few minutes before Zara looked at me with a look that said "leave" before I left. For the first time in a while, I didn't know what to do. The only place I could think of going without doing anything wrong was my own room. Despite being midafternoon, I couldn't stop myself from collapsing on the Fire Nation red bed.

When I woke up, I looked at the walls and realized for the first time since coming here that all Fire Nation memorabilia had been stripped from the walls leaving only steel grey. I couldn't see what time it was until I turned the metal wheel that locked my door and entered the pitch black hallway. At that moment, I realized I hadn't checked on Yin. I'd feel guilty If I didn't at least check to see if he was still breathing. It was my driving that got him there. I walked down the hallway and as I neared the stairwell, to the left, from the stairwell came Mark. Seeing him felt as such as foreign thing now. He hardly made himself seen. He turned around ready to descend the stairwell.

"Mark!" I yelled. Nothing

I ran to the stairwell and saw him going down the stairs. "Mark!" I yelled again. Still nothing. I quickly walked down the steps to catch up with him and said, "Mark".

He turned around casually as if his was his first time hearing me and casually said, "yeah?"

What I wanted to say was on the lines of " _The fuck do you mean "yeah"? Talk to me!",_ but what I did say was "Hey, man. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

I knew he was lying. Maybe he didn't want to talk about it, but I pushed him still to talk

"No you're not." I said. "You're acting like- "I didn't know what analogy to make. "You're acting not right. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He said and continued down the stairs.

I caught up and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Look. I know it's something and I'm your friend. Just please tell me so I can try to do something to help."

He turned around and sighed, eyes trained on the ground.

"Today was Azeh's birthday. My **brother's** birthday. And he's dead now. Betrayed by someone we called our friend. I just-. I just can't live with the fact that the person who killed him is out there, commanding some fleet due to a promotion while the people he fucked over are dead and here."

What do you mean here?

He must've seen what I though and said "No. Not here, but just in this state. With dead family and friends."

I think I knew what he had in mind, but I had to make sure. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting, that I want to find Mozoh and kill him. He's- "

"Yeah." I interrupted. "I know. The one that turned you and Azeh in. Right?"

"Yeah."

I wasn't for it, but wasn't against it. Some things required this treatment.

"I'll help you." I said.


	30. Chapter 8: Mark

I brought up the idea to the other's during dinner. It was the same day, all of us eating together where just the morning of the same day, we had unintentionally brought about death to an innocent village. Now, we were plotting revenge on an old traitor. Boss agreed and asked the others for their thoughts. All voted minus Zara and Amek. It was unopposed. A few days later, we got a report from Lero saying he found him. Mozoh had been promoted to Captain in the past few weeks. He was captain of a ship in the 7th fleet. The report also mentioned a solo supply run to rendezvous with another ship in 3 days at a marked location at midnight. The other ship, the "F.N. Brigadier" was to be stationed there from noon to the supply exchange time in which Mozoh's ship "F.N. Courier" would be delivering food and supplies to "be distributed amongst personnel"

On that day, we followed the coordinates. The first ship was already there when we arrived at 1:00pm.

"Why haven't they shot at us yet?" I ask from the deck of the ship to Boss.

"We're on a Fire Nation ship in their armor. Why would they?"

"I was under false pretense that they shot anyone on sight who didn't have an appointment."

Boss audibly sighs from my side, worrying me I might have angered him. "Not everyone in the Fire Nation is a psychopath."

"I'm sorry. I- "

"Let's get this over with." He says, putting on the helmet.

I follow suit and look up at the bridge high above me where Tom and Mark wait with bows and arrows in case things get bloody. I hope against it, but if it's unavoidable, we have to defend ourselves.

We slow down and stop on the ship's left side. Their boarding bridge extends and easily fits against the port side of our ship. 2 soldiers meet us midway between the bridge with an obvious commander dressed in captain's apparel. I look around, eyes darting across the ship looking for soldiers. It's quiet. _It's only a cargo vessel. It'll be running on a skeleton crew. Easy takeover. No casualties._

I happened at once and went by quickly. I tackled the soldier on the left side, pushing him off of the thin bridge. Boss grappled the one of the right ad threw him off. Dave and Amek revealed themselves from cover and sped past us on the bridge to the enemy ship right after Boss and I sent the captain off with a loud yell before he hit the water.

We sped to the other side before the man in charge of the bridge extension decided to reopen the gap. I had almost made it to the other side when I felt it disappear from under my feet and I fell. I felt an armored hand grab mine before I plummeted into the water with some very angry soldiers. Boss stood up and pulled me back onto the deck.

As soon as I was on, the bulkhead door leading from the interior of the ship to the deck opened revealing two soldiers. One with a spear and one without. The one with a spear runs towards me, but is grabbed by Amek and quite literally thrown off of the ship.

"Thanks." I say quickly before running towards the other one. Before I realize it, out of his fist shoots out a blast of fire. I literally hit the deck right as if passes over me into the open air. I'm close enough to him that while still on the ground, I grab the spear holstered on my back and swing it at his legs. It swipes him off his feet and sends him to the ground. I get up and smack him across the face with the handle and knock him out prior to rolling his unconscious body off of the ship.

"Everyone okay?" asks Dave from my left.

Everyone responds with a yes at different times and I can't help but feel, given our apparel that we're the enemy. It was kind of fun but wrong at the same time.

The rest of the ship was simple. There were a few other soldiers whom we sent off very simply. We cleared the cargo bay, the garage, main halls, and lastly the bridge. We owned the ship.

It was aboard the new ship that stage two came into play. We were to wait until midnight for Mozoh to arrive. When we did, came stage three. It was also aboard that we realized how much better this ship was compared to our old one. It was a quick discussion and a unanimous agreement at which we transferred everything from our ship to this one. There was no emotional attachment to the old one. After all, who doesn't like newer and nicer things. And we had the time to do so. We had over 10 hours with the battle only have taken half an hour.

But we had pity. We extracted everything we could from our old ship aside from one small boat in the lowest deck. We would leave it for the soldiers we sent overboard. Let them find land and spread how we kicked their asses. At 7:00, we finished moving. At 8:00, we ate.

"So." Says Mark from across the table, actually enjoying himself. "The name of this ship is "Brigadier". Right?"

"If the report was accurate" says Boss.

"Actually" says Tom. "It's F.N. brigadier."

"What does the F stand for?" asks Amek.

"Fire" responds Dave blankly.

"Huh. And the N?"

"Natio- "

"I know what the hell it stands for. Question is why is our ship named after the Fire Nation?"

"Are you suggesting a name change?" asks Tom.

"Why the hell not? Any suggestions?"

I got one. "How about F.F.N. Brigadier?" I suggest

"What does F.F.N. stand for?" asks Boss "Or where you just stuttering?"

The others laugh and so do I until I say "F.F.N. Fuck Fire Nation."

This causes an eruption of laughter amongst us in which all seem to join in and I can even see Zara chuckle.

At 9:00, we start making preparations. We double checked the old ship to make sure we were leaving nothing behind. The boat was gone, meaning the soldiers left. We shortly sunk the ship with well-placed explosions to the lower deck. We couldn't let anyone see the ship.

We rested for an hour and at 11:00, we got our armor on. Amek ordered Zara to stay inside. I was getting to leave when I saw her in the hallway on the top floor.

"Do you really think this will work?" she says.

And this shocked me. Her voice was clam, but strong at the same time. I hadn't heard her since we met.

"So." I say. "You **can** talk."

"I asked you a question."

"Yes." I say after a small pause. "It'll work."

"And none of us will die?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"It was your plan. Therefore, these people are your responsibility. Their lives are on your hand."

"Thanks for the pep talk" I say, eager to end this talk. "I'm going to go now."

"That's not what I meant. It's just that at Amek's and my village, everyone I knew was killed in front of me. My friends."

"Your family?" I asked.

"Amek's my only family I have left. It's been that way for a while."

I felt sorry for her. She was just another person to lose so much in something she had so little to do with.

"No one will die here, Zara." I say and walk away.

"Don't call me that." She says before I walk out the door onto the bridge.

"What. Your name?"

"It's not my real name. It's just what Amek calls me… My real name is Zare."

I say nothing and only nod to her before walking out onto the bridge where Mark waited with a telescope and two bows with loaded quivers.

"You ready?" he says in all seriousness while looking out southbound with the telescope.

"Ready."

The open air smells good at this altitude. The smoke from the explosions has passed. Good. No suspicion.

I sit down, back resting against the 2 bar railing on the left side of the bridge facing the front of the ship. The bow. After a few minutes, he calmly says "There."

I get up and open my hand for him to place the telescope. He does and points directly behind us to the stern of the ship. The rear. I look through it and through the midnight fog, I see it. A ship the same size as our old one meaning for once we had the bigger ship. I smiled for a second before letting it retreat. When I stop looking through it, I see Mark go to the end of the bridge and yell down "It's here."

Stage Three: Mark and I will wait at the bridge. When the ship is in place, Mark, from his position on the bridge of the ship, being the highest point, will kill Mozoh who will be on the bridge of the opposing ship. Meanwhile, Boss and Tom down below will make the exchange. Dave and Amek will wait hide under the tarp in the cargo hole in the center of the deck under the tarp in case anything goes wrong. Mark and I will shoot a grappling hook across and confirm the kill and dump the body into the water before retreating back to our ship at which we will inform Boss that it's done. We will complete the deal and be on our way.

The ship came into place and docked with the familiar screeching of the bridge against metal. I could hear the distant exchange of words of the deal. Mark picked up the bow and crouched down bow in hands, but not aiming. In one hand, he held the telescope outstretched to me. "Is this the ship?"

I took it, opened it, and looked through it at the side of this ship, bending over a rail to get a view where I saw the words "F.N. Courier"

"This is it." I brought the scope up to the bridge and saw the captain through the glass of the main room on the bridge, reading something.

"He's inside. Reading something."

"He's not coming out unless we give him a reason to."

I put the telescope down on the ground and pick up my bow and bring the quiver over my shoulder onto my back. I take an arrow and aim it at the door, planning the angle to have the arrowhead strike the door, making the most noise. I pull it back, hold my breath, and shoot.

The arrow hits the metal and even from my distance, I can slightly hear it. I pick up the scope and look through it again. The captain looked up from whatever he was reading and headed towards the door.

"Get ready." I say.

I hear the pulling of the string next to me and the tension grow.

The door opens and the man heads outside. I didn't recognize his face. I had never met him, but I hoped to Raava that this was him. Mozoh stepped out and must have stepped on the arrow for he stopped in his tracks and looked down. Mozoh bent over and picked up the arrow. I had the scope right on his head when I felt the string release next to me and saw up close, the arrow hi Mozoh directly into the side of his head. His neat hair grew red, he dropped the arrow and silently fell onto the metal ground.

"You got him." I say, lowering the scope.

"Yeah." He says, breathing out in relief. "I did."

Despite what I saw, I saw "Good job" and pick up my bow. From the ground, I pick up the arrow with the grappling hook attached, arm it, and sent it flying at the railing. I hooks immediately and I feel proud of myself. I take the rope attached to the arrow and tie it securely around the railing. It goes at a downward slope meaning I can ride it. I check the rope that will soon be our mode of transportation and after realizing its secure, I remove the string from my bow and drop it on the ground. I don't need it now. I place the bow above the rope and hold tightly onto both ends and stand on top of the railing. I let go of my feet and immediately, gravity takes me as I slide down the zip line. I'm almost at the other side and extend my feet just when it hits the railing hard and really screws up my ankle, but I'm fine. It's just twisted. Mark follows and by the look on his face when he gets off, the same thing happened to him and hurt just as much.

He immediately runs to the body that's face down on the metal and rolls it over.

"FUCK!" he yells.

I immediately fear that others heard him, but no alarms sound.

"What?" I ask. "Is it him?" I also ask, even though I think I know the answer.

"No! It's fucking not!"

He gets on his knees and smashes him arm on the ground once for each time he curses the words "fuck" and "shit" being at least 10 times.

He gets up and I can see tears in his eyes. Ica n understand. He failed what he set out to do. He walks over to the wall that leads to the closed in command center and hits his head against the glass twice saying "shit" in sobbed voices before I walk over to him and pull him away. At the door inside, I hear a knock.

"Go!" I tell Mark.

He wipes some tears from his eyes and gets on the hook, climbing it slowly at an upwards slope. There has to be something we can get out of this.

I open the door into the command center and look around. I hear another knock at the door leading inside. "Captain Zan, are you there?" I look around and find a knife on a table with a hilt in the design of a raging flame. I grab it and continue to look around to see a stack of papers that was being read. I take no time to think and only assume it's important. I grab it and stick any of the papers in between my armored greaves and chest plate. The knocking gets harder and I hear "I'm coming in!"

I spring outside, slam the door behind me and get on the rope as I start to climb. Papers are already falling out and I hear one door open behind me. Mark is already far in front of me, but not all the way across. I get a little farther and know he must see the body. I hear the wheel lock of the second door to where it's beginning to open and I take out the knife from my pocket. I face behind me and swipe once at the rope. It cuts halfway through and I bring it back, ready to cut again even harder. I cut into the exact same spot and the rope breaks.

I feel myself falling to my death, but the rope reaches as far as it goes and only swings forward directly into our ship. I tense my muscles and hit full on into the steel side of the ship's interior building. The entire right side of my body hurts like hell and I look up to see Mark at the very top of the rope, pull himself onto the bridge. I'm amazed that the line held steady to the very end. I smile and look down. The deck of the ship is only 5 feet down. I let go and fall on my feet onto the deck and realize how sore my hands are. They feel as if set aflame. Boss is around 40 feet to my right with me facing the enemy ship and managed to hear none of this. I walk towards him and causally greet him at which he surprisingly turns to his left and gasps, obviously surprised to see me. The enemy soldiers weren't around at the moment.

"How'd you get back?"

"I'll tell you later. We good to go?"

"Wait." He says. "How'd it go?"

My mood suddenly changes to sullen and I sadly say "It wasn't him. Mark's taking it kind of hard."

"I can imagine. We're ready to go."

"Good. We should go soon. They know he's dead. We had no time to throw him overboard."

"It's fine. I'll pilot us out."

I see him run upstairs and soon enough, their bridge actually retracts. _Why?_ We also start moving and I see men pouring onto the decks. _Shit._ I find cover along the edge of the ship and dive behind it just as an arrow hits where I was just standing and another hits the 3-foot-high wall which I'm lying flat behind. _Shit. I forgot my bow._ More arrows hit the steel cover I'm hidden behind and we pick up speed.

When we're adequate distance away, I get up and go to the back of the ship. They're not following us. Amek and Dave got out of where they were hiding in the center of the deck under a tarp and come over to me to congratulate me for a plan that worked despite the failed assassination. They reassure me with the fact that we got cargo from the "F.N. Courier"

I'm about to walk inside and hear the crumbling of paper. _Holy shit._ There's still one sheet of paper still between my pants and shirt. I pick it up and scan the paper for what it reads.

 _Due to the tragic death of Captain Mozoh Herius via Heart Failure, you are to be placed in command of the "F.N. Courier". Take pride in this accomplishment and pay no sadness to the death of our Captain. We take pride in the expectation that you will accomplish much in your command._

I almost wanted to laugh out loud. He was already dead! I quickly ran inside past Amek and Dave at which I told them the news while running upstairs to find Mark and tell him. I was on the 5th floor when I see Boss and Tom standing at the doorway to the bathroom. Both have just fearful looks on their faces. I get behind them and look between the two of them and inside, I see Mark inside, sat on the toilet, knife on the ground, with two slit wrists and a slit throat, blood covering the floor and spilling out. I couldn't believe it. He killed himself.


	31. Chapter 9: Zuko

**2 months later. First day of Fall. 98 years after genocide.**

 **8 miles west of Earth Kingdom West Coast**

" **F.F.N. Brigadier"**

 **En Route to "Qin-Ji Village" for arms trade with Earth Kingdom paramilitary.**

"There's a Fire Navy ship following us." I say, pointing out the obvious that no one appeared to have caught up on up to this moment.

I could see the thick steel hull of the ship as it neared us. It was a scout ship. Nothing serious, but I think we're in trouble.

Tom walks up next to me and leans forward, hands grasping the failing of the main deck of the ship. "Well shit."

"Should we try to outrun it?" I ask.

"I'll ask Boss."

"Sure?"

"Sure."

He walks away, but I keep an eye on the ship, it's metal boarding ramp in the front protruding from the main armor plating like the ferocious horn of a Komodo Rhino.

From the main engine to my left erupts the steaming hiss of a change in directives. The ship begins it's 90 degree turn as it reveals its port side to our visitors who follow suite and do as well in order to dock with us. The same procedure of the extending ramp occurs again and I'm already ready for it with my Fire Nation armor already on. I add the final touch of the helmet and the cool September breeze feels less strong.

I watch from the sideline as Tom and Boss walk up and meet face to face with our visitors. I want to yell at Boss and Tom to get the fuck away as soon as I realize we've come face to face with the prince of the Fire Nation. I realize this when he turns his head sideways to look at me, revealing the red scar that covers the left side of his face. I gulp hard and only hope this goes well. I get closer to hear the conversation starting with an instant accusation from the prince.

"Captain. Why are you off course?"

"We're not off course. We split off from the 7th fleet to deliver some cargo." It was the same excuse we had always used which was bound to expire someday, but hopefully not today.

There was a pause in which I thought was to be proceeded by a battle, but it ended when he said "Very well, captain. Continue your course, but I do not plan on allowing you to interfere with my search for the Avatar."

"You won't have to worry about that, prince." Says Boss at which he respectively bows to the prince which is unreturned. _Asshole._ We got away with this, but I know that it wasn't nearly the last time we came face to face with him.


	32. Chapter 10: Jet

The Brigadier dropped Tom, Yin, and me a few hours ago. 2 days ago, we got a report from Shao about some possible recruits who seemed interested in joining. He said he would report the next day. He didn't. Now, we're 5 miles away from where he last sent the message, hoping he's still alive.

"Village is up ahead." Says Tom.

"It annexed?" I ask

"Gotta be. How else he get captured?"

"Coulda been turned in." offers Yin

"Nah. Why would the Earth Kingdom turn in anti-Fire Nation?"

"Good point."

We rise over the hill we'd been climbing and in front of us is the town. Just from a sight from afar, it's obviously been attacked. There wasn't any fire or anything, it was just obvious.

I pick up my pace and begin a run to the town, hoping to Raava that the Fire Nation hadn't executed everyone when they found Shao.

The others followed me and soon enough, we had passed through the stone walls that surrounded the town. There were multiple bodies lying on the ground. Fire Nation. Someone got here before us. In the distance could still be heard the clattering of swords and other weapons. I grabbed my spear in one hand, knife in the other as my friends did the same. _Did Shao do this. Did he manage to take out an entire Fire Nation held village. Where were the civies?_

As I passed a house on my left, I looked through the open window to see an unharmed mother with two children by her side. _Thank Raava._

I got to the center of the town holding a tiny well and a few vendors when from the side of the same house, where they were hidden from my view, 3 Fire Nation soldiers emerged.

I hold up my spear and could hear Yin and Tom do the same when the problem resolved itself. The Fire Nation soldier on the left with an open faced helmet immediately took an arrow to the head and went down immediately in a small squish of the stone arrow head piercing his forehead.

The other 2 soldiers look around in shock when from behind them, an older teenager bearing Earth Kingdom clothes swept both soldiers off their feet with the use of two swords with a hook shaped end. With the two soldiers down, he killed both in one simultaneous movement, bringing both swords down on them.

My first though was that this guy knew what he was doing. My second was that he really knew what he was doing.

He looks up from where he stood, bent over in movement with his final move to reveal his face and the small stick of wheat in his mouth and an angry look on his face.

"More of you, huh?"

 _Our armor._ I quickly dropped my spear and tore off my helmet in one movement. "We're not Fire Nation!"

Tom walks up next to me and takes off his helmet as well, dropping it to the ground. "You're pretty good." He says.

The man looks slightly puzzled and asks, directing to me, "Who are you?"

I take it upon myself to answer. "We're against the Fire Nation. Just like you."

He looks above us, into the forest from where we came and whistles in a unique pattern, which is followed up by the brushing of leaves and a thump behind us which I see in time to see an archer, wearing a straw hat, drop down from a tree branch in a tree onto the ground.

He extends his arm to me for some reason and I take it, shaking his hand in a greeting. "It's good to see more people rising up against the Fire Nation." I say, disregarding the unnecessary violence that occurred not 2 minutes ago.

"You're telling me." He says. "I thought I was alone. Is it just you three?"

"No." says Tom. "There are more of us. 6 in fact. We have a ship too. We go from place to place. You're welcome to join us."

He smiles and says "Go with you. I don't even know you."

I smirk back and say "I'm Luke. This is Tom and Yin. Now you know us."

"Yes I do." He says as the archer walks up next to him. "This is longshot. Best archer in the Earth Kingdom. You can call me Jet.


	33. Chapter 11: A Grim Death

"We need to know something" said Tom

So Jet asked "What is it?"

"A friend of ours, Shao, our scout, went missing around here recently. We came here looking for him. Have you seen anything?"

Jet's eyes wandered, as if searching for an answer and said "Yeah. I might have. 3 soldiers left the town with a prisoner around an hour ago. We used the lack of troops to attack. They went south. I'll show you."

So we followed Jet down the Southern path, towards the shore, but in time, the path veered east, following the coast down the Earth Kingdom.

It was around twenty minutes later, when the smell of smoke came within our scent. Maybe we were closer maybe Shao had resisted and there was a fight, maybe we would find him in a few minutes or even seconds.

We did. The path turned left and what was there came into view. A body tied with rope to a tree, set ablaze. The fire still burning.

"Well fuck" said Tom as we approached the unfortunate victim. I probably knew ahead of time, but while the face was still indistinguishable from where I was, I hoped to Raava. I was now 5 feet away, along with everyone else and it was obvious. It was Shao. Whatever the hell had happened, Shao had gotten killed in one of the worst and most grotesque ways I could imagine. I heard Yin gag next to me until his stomach couldn't take it and he puked a violent green color onto the ground. I looked over and it served as the tipping point. I followed suit, and vomited on my own shoes, then the smell of both vomit and burning flesh hit me, and I gagged once more until my stomach was devoid of any content.

"This him?" asked Jet.

Tom was obviously in shock and saddened by this. He didn't have a look of adventure in his eyes, but rather one of sadness and a hint of anger, no doubt for whom.

"Yeah. That's him."

"The flames are flesh. They can't be far ahead, we can- "

"No. Only more of us will get hurt if we do. Killing them won't bring Shao back."

I looked up in time to see pure shock on Jet's face. "But he was your comrade, you friend. You're just going to leave him unavenged?!"

"No" I said, in between my liquid coughs. "We avenge him by fighting for a just cause and when this war is over and the Fire Nation is defeated, they're killers will be found and prosecuted. Until then, finding more conflict will only kill more of us." Maybe it was the Air Nomad inside of me speaking or my child nativity, but I believed every word of what I said.

That day, I cried for Shao. There were tears in my eyes for having have lost another friend and for my inability to stop it. I didn't want more people to die. I wouldn't let my friends get hurt again. Then the headache, nausea, and dizziness that affected me days before had come back. Worse than ever. It pained me until we returned to the Brigadier.

Onboard, my first course of action was to leave to my room and strip myself of the heavy armor plating that engulfed me. I could hear the enthusiastic introduction from Boss to our new friends and didn't want to be present when the bad news was delivered.

I was passing the third floor of the stairwell when I heard "Where's Shao?" from behind me taking the voice of Zare. "Is he-?"

"Dead? Yeah."

There was a pause that was only followed by an "oh" of understanding. Assuming this conversation had finished, I resumed my path up the metal stairs, paying attention to every sound of metal against metal as I walked up in my iron boots. "What happened?" I stopped again. "Burnt." "Burnt?" "Yes." "I thought you called me untalkative."

"My friend just died, I'm not in a very social mood right now."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

I continued up to the second to last floor and found my room at the first door to the left. Turned the wheel that kept it closed and walked inside, shutting it behind me. My helmet came first, then the boots, then the armored greaves, gloves, chest plate, and shirt. Leaving only my shorts and undershirt. With fall proceeding, things would get colder. _It's fine._ _I like the cold._

I had a different dream that night. I was watching Shao, being escorted by the Fire Nation soldiers. One came off guard and he tackled him to the side, pushing him off the path and into the woods. Shao reached for a knife in the soldier's belt and with tied hands, succeeded and raised it to defend himself from the next soldiers. The soldier's sword quickly overpowered Shao and he fell to the ground. He tried to get up, but was kicked to the ground. The soldier who was tackled got up and kicked Shao in the ribs. He coughed, and blood splattered onto the ground from his mouth. The soldier kicked again and again until the third walked in on the beating with a length of rope he was holding apart. The soldiers grinned and made room. Shao was quickly tied to a tree. He tried to resist, but would only be punched, kicked, or hit with the dull ends of the soldier's weapons. When he was still fully conscious and awake, the first soldier stood back and set a small flame out to Shao's right pant leg. They watched as it creeped up his leg and soon, Shao began to scream from the pain. In time, the flame had reached the torso and up to his neck. His entire body was aflame now and I woke up, smell of smoke in my nose and reached for the engraved knife quickly under my pillow and stood up, pointing it towards the still shut door. It was just imagination. The sky through the red tinted window was black now. I missed dinner. I lied back down in bed and realized then how wet my bed was and how much sweat was on my body. I fell asleep and hoped for no more dreams.


	34. Chapter 12: Guru: Part One

Jet was an instant hit with the crew of the brigadier, including myself. Stories of his battles against the Fire Nation and his liberation of towns were sources of high morale and entertainment often told during meals. The sadness of Shao's death passed quickly enough. It only took a week for the sadness of it to pass. Beyond that, it was all about Jet. I don't doubt that some of his recounts were exaggerated, but none the less, we found it to be inspiring. I could see the look of youthful amazement in the eyes of Yin, with his finding of a proper role model. Along with it, the luck of an instant childish crush in the eyes of Zare.

Despite it all, things were hard in the long run. It was only the distraction of stories that kept us from seeing the truth for what it was. We were low on food, weapons, and medicine. I was responsible for the medicine. No matter how much of it I took, the occasional, but severe headaches, along with the dreams never left. Boss insisted we throw out our food and buy more for which I felt guilt, given my thoughts that food was in no way responsible.

It was a quarter through fall now. The month of September. Much to my relief, the air was cooling and rain was occurring more often. Being raised by the air nomads, Autumn, their representative season, was no doubt my favorite.

Returning to the topic of Jet, he as well has been gaining influence with Boss. They began strategizing together to aa point where I felt left out. The others didn't feel that way, but I wanted to help in seeing the bigger picture. Maybe I was just to young according to them. Jet was 14 after all. I was 12. Maybe they thought the headaches would distract me and that I would only mess up in planning. I don't know. On the topic of that, Jet decided that what I needed was a doctor. We tried visiting doctors in the colonies, but all of them were untrained an unlicensed. Merely the least of the worst of the towns. Boss then decided to have the scouts find me a professional. It upset me that they were so stuck on the idea of getting me help. I won't lie, it hurt like hell, but we needed to be focusing on our problems and attacking the Fire Nation.

A few days later they found one. And now I'm in his office, head in pain, staring at the slow as hell clock mounted above his door. He said 5:00. It was 6:17.

"I'm gonna ask him when we're up." Said Dave.

I raised my hand from my forehead to him and said "It's fine.", but he didn't listen.

The brigadier dropped us off at the office and went to grab dinner. I pitied Dave for missing out on it.

Dave stood up and approached the door. He knocked a few times to no avail. He then slightly opened the door and said "Dr. Rocca?"

He opened the door.

"Oh fuck."

I stood up and the pain soared. I moved to where Dave was and through the opened door, saw the doctor and the patient dead with arrows in their heads.

"What the hell?" I said quietly which was soon followed by the entrance of two more arrows from an unknown archer came through the open window. The flaming arrows hit the wooden walls and the flames began to spread.

"Shit!" said Dave.

I ran out of the flaming room into the lobby which was luckily abandoned and was followed by Dave. He took the lead and headed for the door that would lead to the stairwell to take us down to ground level, but the door blew open from one side and landed on top of Dave, knocking him down and falling on top of him. 2 armored Fire Nation soldiers entered the room and the on in front shot a burst of Fire at me. I jumped to the side and slid behind the doctor's lobby counter at which he used to stand before taking in a patient. A burst of fire hit the counter followed by one above my head, beginning a new fire. I hid there for what felt like hours and didn't notice the sparks of fire landing on my head and body. I looked above the counter to see Dave rise from beneath the wooden door, pick it up, and hit the soldier in the back with it. The other turned around to face him. I took the opportunity and vaulted feet first over the desk. My feet hit the soldier's back and he fell to the ground. He threw me off with a raise of his back, but was soon incapacitated by the slamming of his head with the door.

I took Dave's hand which he offered to me to help stand up and without letting go, ran down the stairs into the street in a literal scenario of being "Out of the frying pan and into the fire".


	35. Chapter 13: Guru: Part 2

It had been 1 year conscious and 98 years unconscious since I had last experienced the effects of a Fire Nation raid. I wanted to forget what it was like. And I did. But when I exited the burning hospital into the carnage of the streets, I remembered what it was like.

I saw Dave run down the alley past the side of the hospital onto the street. To the left was the edge of town. A large stone wall painted in the Earth Kingdom's insignia. Possibly one of the last few towns in the area to bear that mark. It wouldn't stay that way much longer.

We ran down the street past burning buildings. I saw a woman run out of a building, baby held to her chest with her right arm and grasping a three-year old's hand in her left. I saw her take an arrow in the chest, fall atop her infant, still clasping the hand of her mindlessly standing surviving son in her left hand, oblivious to her mother's death.

I wanted to do something. But he joined his family before I could react.

We had no idea where the others where. Nobody was on the Brigadier and I could see it over the small stone and wood buildings of the town. I could hear Dave yell, still running, above the chaos "We'll meet them at the center of the town!"

I mouthed the word "yes" but nothing came out.

We reached the center of the town into a burning bazaar when the wall in the direction we were heading was demolished in a cloud of smoke as tanks rolled over the rubble and firebenders marched behind, burning people and buildings alike. I wondered if this was common of a military to do, but the Fire Nation was something else. Murdering whoever they saw unfit to survive. Earth Kingdom, Air Nomads, no doubt Water Tribe.

Dave grabbed my forearm and tugged me to the side just as the air parted to my left to allow a small fireball at head level to speed past me and hit the wall of a stone building, taking what my head could've.

We ran to the right towards the docks. I was looking behind me when I bumped into somebody at full speed and fell on top of them. I looked down and it was Yin. I smiled out of disbelief and got back up. We had found the others. "In the Alley!" I heard Boss's voice say. I followed the group into an alley between two 2-story apartment buildings.

"How'd the Fire Nation know we were here?" I heard the voices behind me say.

"Must have spies or- "

"-or a leak."

"They could have just followed- "

"-We need to get- "

But all I was paying attention to was what I could see through the alley occurring on the streets. A firebender entered a home, flame in hand, the house lit up, and he exited an even worse killer. A tank shot out a grappling hook onto the second story of the building in front of our alley and entered reverse. I saw the wood begin to crack and just as it did, a family of a father, mother, and two children attempted to leave through the front door when the second story foundation collapsed and fell on top of them.

I didn't want to be an observer ever again. I ran out of the alley and could hear the yells of protest behind me.

Part of the man was uncovered by rubble attempting to free himself. I ran forward and as I grabbed the piece of wood on top of him, I looked around me and saw the hundreds of dying people. I would never be able to save a town of people, but I could try to save a family. Or what was left of one. I began to lift, but the wood only raised an inch, unable to do any good.

"Dave!" I yelled. "Help me with this!"

He did, along with the others. Dave grabbed the end to my left and began to raise the board. Tom also found a spot, but Jet, the talk of the town saw a high ranking firebender all alone. And it was too good to pass up. He ran, as did Yin, Zare, and Amec. I looked in disbelief as the 2 youngest became blinded by a classic "pretty boy role-model" and ran off to gain good favor. I saw the same look on Boss's face as he stood behind us and threw an armed soldier to the ground and knocked him out with a slow succession of punches to the face as Tom, Dave, and I lifted the wood. It was coming higher and the man was beginning to wiggle himself free when fire from other parts of the collapsed building began to spread to the piece of wood I was holding.

I put even more effort into it as the flame, now on the leftmost side of the wooden wall began to creep towards me. The man wiggled free and got out. The others almost let go before I saw the wife still alive under it reaching with an outstretched hand to get out and I yelled at them to help get her out.

I held onto my end and refused to move as it would impede the progress we were making. The fire crept closer and I could feel her moving underneath it. Her arm came out when I was practically touching the fire.

When her torso came free, my right arm was on fire. I refused to let go despite the intense pain burning through my limb. I felt it reach up to my shoulder just as her legs came free and I dropped the wood as did the others.

When it was over, the real pain, untouched by the adrenaline of helping somebody sunk in. It was so hot that it felt cold. I looked at my left arm and the clothing had burned away, leaving blood from the areas of my skin from which layers of skin had peeled off. My vision dimmed and the corners of my eyes started to blacken. I felt something grab my good arm, then a hand on my back.

My field of vision became smaller and I saw the others rejoined with us. I heard a yell and some arguing although it was muffled. I heard a cry, but it must have been from the no longer mother. Then my view became black.


	36. Chapter 14: Guru: Part 3

I woke up with the familiar pain in my head. I looked around and saw the interior of a room in a Fire Nation ship. It could've meant good thing or a bad, but considering the lack of Fire Nation memorabilia, I remained confident I wasn't in the place of a prisoner.

I reached to pull of the blanket covering me with my right arm, but it refused to move. The arm, I mean. I thought it may have fallen asleep, but I knew as I thought of it that it wasn't the case. I nervously pulled of the blanket with my left hand, more awkwardly given my right handedness and sat up. I was wearing a white tank top where my burnt arm was clearly visible. Red streaks of burnt skin crept up my arm starting at the hand and went up to the base of my neck.

I tried desperately and even more desperately to move my arm, then my hand, then a single finger to no avail. In defeat, I let myself fall back onto the bed and thought I may have been dreaming. I hit the back of my head against the steel wall behind the bed in an attempt to wake myself, but only caused the back of my head to hurt in addition to my headache in the front.

A few hours passed when Tom walked in. I was lying my back against the wall, sitting on the bed. Without closing the door, he leaned against the wall next to it, sighed, and said "I'm sorry. We couldn't do anything to help you." Of course I wasn't mad at him. I volunteered for wat I did.

"It's not your fault." I said. "I did what I did."

He smiled a smile of sympathy and said "You saved two people."

"Too bad I couldn't save their kids." I realized how cold it sounded when I said it aloud.

His smile disappeared and said "We couldn't have saved any of them if you hadn't pointed it out."

I didn't have anything to say in return so instead I asked "How long ago was that now?"

"3 weeks"

"3 weeks" I echoed quietly as a sigh.

I tried planting my right hand on the bed to stand up and punished myself mentally before using my left. I spiraled so my feet hung off the bed and I stood up.

"We were about to eat."

"Go ahead." I said. "I'll join you."

He left and after a few minutes of standing next to my bed doing absolutely nothing, I grabbed a brown jacket from under my bed that I had bought around a month ago and put it on. No doubt it was colder now.

I walked outside of my room into the corridor and closed my door behind me with my left arm after failing to do so with my right.

I walked to the bathroom and washed my face. It wasn't burned at the very least, but my head was pounding. I had learned to ignore it to the best of my ability, but it seemed to combat it by only getting worse.

I went to the cafeteria and found the table where the others sat. There was food on one of the unoccupied tables where I grabbed a small sample of each available it and sat down at the far right end of the group despite the open seat between Jet and Yin.

All of them asked how I was in separated questions that I only nodded to in return. I didn't want to think about how fucking miserable I looked. I figured it was obvious. I had just seen the same look in the mirror.

They took the hint soon enough and returned to the conversation and looked up and to the left to make sure no one was giving me any glances. The only one who was looking was Zare giving me a look of sadness and what looked like pity. She looked older than she normally did. Maybe it was her growing hair in comparison to the childish short hair she had when we met.

I looked down at my meal and struggled eating with the only arm I had left. I couldn't hold the chopsticks so I gave up on it. The smaller food kept falling out of my hands so I left it on the side. When I realized the others were done and just talking and waiting for me to finish, I got up and threw over 3 quarters of my food away to spare them.

I returned to my room and fell asleep. I had just eaten lunch.

I dreamt again. It was a familiar sight. The Southern Air Temple burning to dust. Alongside it was the other three except the Eastern remained unscathed. My view zoomed in to the temple at the height of a human head and was speedily navigating the halls all leading to what I knew was the trials of energy. The trials used to help one unlock his inner energy. I was going to be referred to them, but of course, that's when Aang left, the nomads lost all hope, and the Fire Nation attacked.

The quick tour ended at the last location and I heard "Come"

And it's not like I had any other options.


	37. Chapter 15: Pathik

I told everyone about the dreams I was having. I told them about how I saw the Eastern Air Temple. Jet was the only one with doubts. He tried to tell me that it must've been some kind of trap by the Fire Nation.

"They're just baiting you."

"Unless the Fire Nation has mastered Telepathy, I think I'm fine."

Boss had the final word and said I could go.

Tom volunteered to drive me and Zare and Yin said they'd go. Amek tried to argue against her going, but she went anyway. Maybe she and Yin felt guilty about leaving me behind, but I'd appreciate the company of people more my age. It took a good 17 days for us to get to the Island of the temple. The entire Northern face was mountainous so we dry-docked at the Western face of the island that had the temple. In that time, I had become adept at only using my left hand. I could properly use eating utensils, operate weapons, but still could hardly write.

We left around the first day of September. I had to get help entering the tank. I felt helpless and embarrassed, but this was why I came this far. Jet still seemed annoyed that we had come this far for such a "ridiculous endeavor"

Jet spent most of his time with longshot. They still had their own small inner circle that wouldn't break. Jet had gained some influence with Boss early on, but that soon seemed to deteriorate. They now always seemed at odd's ends.

We brought along tents and food for a few days and nights of travel. No more than a week's worth.

On the 4th day of driving, we saw the temple in the horizon. We reached it later that day around midafternoon.

At the base of the mountain, we made camp. We planned to sleep there and hike in the morning, but either my impatience or gut told me that I had to go up then and there.

We ate lunch around 8:00.

"It'll probably be a 5-hour hike to get to the structure at the top" said Tom.

"From there, we'll meet whoever's waiting for us." He continued.

"If it's Fire Nation, we'll deal with it." He finished.

"Let's hope not." Said Yin.

I kept looking straight above me at the temple thousands of feet above me.

"So Luke." Said Zare. "You have any idea what's up there?"

She had become more talkative since we first met and it was nicer having a girl to talk to rather than just a bunch of other boys. Variety was good.

I heard what she said, but couldn't take my eyes off the temple.

"No." I said plainly. I mentally punished myself for making such a dry response, but did nothing to change it.

"You alright?"

"Yeah."

 _Asshole_

I decided to just say what was on my mind. "I think I should go up now."

"Now?" said Yin.

"Yeah. Now."

"That's a bad idea." Said Tom. "We have no idea what's up there. It could be a tr- "

"It's not a trap."

"How do you know?"

I took my eyes off the temple and looked Tom in the eyes "I just know."

"No."

This took me by surprise. "What?"

"No."

I already knew that I would just sneak off when they were asleep so I visibly gave up. I couldn't believe how easily they bought it, but for future reference, I noted that I should put up more of a fight to defend myself in order to be more convincing.

At around 10:27, I snuck off.

Bringing only my brown jacket, I didn't have much in the way of supplies and got tired midway up after the second hour of hiking.

Giving that the hike was on a trail carved into the mountain that circled around it all the way up, I wasn't a hard journey, but was still tiring after large doses of it, but I kept moving. I got to the top at 2 in the morning and was exhausted. I had gotten no sleep at camp, waiting for the rest to drift off. From the top of the path, I could see the entire Temple in front of me. The entire place looked as abandoned as the Southern Air Temple when I returned and buried the bodies.

However, in the distance above the center wing of the temple, was a trail of smoke that led upwards.

I made my way to the source.

The temple was in complete disrepair. Greenery was growing all over the place rubble and scorch marks were visible reminders of the Fire Nation's purge. I saw what they did, and for that there was no coming back. No redemption. I passed hallways with broken columns, buildings with furniture in ashes, but no skeletons. It's occupant or occupants must have cleared them out.

I knew that no Air Nomads had escaped. He Fire Nation attacked spontaneously and without mercy. Even if one temple was attacked prior to the others, there would be no way to communicate between the temples and send a warning. That was the futility of the Air Nomad's existence. They were too separated. I was passing a hallway and to the left, sitting cross-legged in front of a Fire was a man with dark skin, meditating.

"I have been waiting for you." He said.


	38. Chapter 16: Ambidextrous

I woke up that same morning with the sun just beginning to rise. He hadn't let me sleep for over 4 hours.

When I asked why he had only let me sleep for that long, he replied with "The proper man rises and sets with the sun. Maybe you should have come up sooner."

It became clear what kind of person I was interacting with and I prepared for rigorous trials and that kind of shit, but instead of that, he had me sit down at a wooden desk and put 5 sheets of paper, filled with writing front and back.

"Are you asking me to read this?"

"No. I ask of you to make me a copy."

After an hour and 7 sheets of paper, I gave up on writing and read the papers. I had read it before in the libraries of the Western Air Temple before I was relocated to the Southern Temple. It was the writings of Guru Laghima.

One phrase caught my interest. _"Instinct is a lie, told by a fearful body, hoping to be wrong."_ What I immediately thought of was my arm. I lost all ability to control my right arm. I was raised as a righty and learned that way to a point where it was an instinct, but instinct is a lie, isn't it? A lie told by a fearful body, hoping to be wrong. The lie is that I cannot recover and learn to use it, but I hope that it's wrong. The fear that I cannot learn to use my left arm is a fear that inspires a lie that I cannot. If I rid of the fear, I rid of the disability.

Another hour later, I finished writing. I read my copy and understood it perfectly.

I found Pathik meditating in front of an artificial body of water in the center of a courtyard. I though it may have been the spirit ponds, but those were located further down the mountain. This was the spirit oasis of the Eastern Air Temple if I remembered correctly.

I handed him the papers and he read them and smiled. "You read them. Didn't you?" He asked me with an old smile on his face.

He closed his eyes and said, you understood one meaning of it that applies to you, but there is another meaning that you could use to aid you.

I thought that I had done perfectly, but apparently there was more to realize. 'What is it?" I asked.

"You had two fears. One was that you would never learn to use your left arm, but the other was that your right was gone for good?"

Did this mean I could regain the ability of my right arm? "Are you saying that-?"

He interrupted me by opening his eyes and I suspected that he had something to say.

"Did you try using your arm?"

This really pissed me off. How stupid did he think I was that I wouldn't try to use my arm.

"Of course I tried. Over and over, but nothing will happen."

"Try again please."

So I did. I used the part of my mind that that would make my right arm turn into a fist to punch this man, but it didn't move.

"You attempt to move your arm through strength, but brute force will not allow energy to flow through your body. Do not lift a finger as though it was a weight, but instead, lift it as if it was an extension of your body as light as a feather."

I took a deep breath and sat in front of him on the other side of the oasis pond. I breathed in and breathed out. I sat cross legged with my arms at the side. Breath in. Breath out. I felt calm. I closed my eyes and imagined myself lifting my right arm. I didn't know if I was doing anything. I kept breathing in and breathing out. I imagined bringing my hands onto my lap and felt me left touchdown and a second later, felt my right touch my lap.

I opened my eyes out of shock and felt that Pathik must have moved them there, but he was still on the other side of the pond, smiling, eyes closed.

"Good. Now that wasn't too hard."

I brought my right arm slowly in front of my face and could actually move my fingers. I made a fist and then a fan. I saw the burn markings on my arm still stretching to my shoulder. I felt a tear leave my eye. I didn't care I looked terrible. I only cared that I had regained my right arm.

"Place your arm in the water"

I looked up at him, wiped the single tear from my eye, and nodded my head.

I got on my knees and let my right arm fall into the water.

"Some water has been blessed by the spirits and doesn't require those who know how to bend its properties for it to work its abilities."

On cue, the water around my arm began to glow and as if it was sand, the burn began to leave my arm.

"You didn't care what you looked like, so there was no harm in making you yourself again."

When his sentence ended, so did the healing. I brought my arm out and stared at it in disbelief. 1 hour ago, my right arm was burnt and dead. Now. Now I was myself again.

I looked up and asked "Is this why you brought me here?"

He opened his eyes and looked at me across the pond. "This was half the reason why I summoned you here, but you got what you came for, so why not leave?"

I looked with confusion. Was he really just letting me go?

"Or. If you want to, you can stay for another day. The first half healed you, the second will unlock you. There is much inside of you that you don't know you have. Will you stay for this?"

I had seen enough to know this man could work miracles. He healed me. The least I could do for us both was to see this through.

"Yes."


	39. Chapter 17: Chakras

It was the following morning. The sun was just beginning to rise. My second day at the temple was starting.

I walked to where I assumed he would be meditating in front of the oasis pond. I was wrong. I checked all the previous locations I had previously found him, none of which he resided.

It was after an hour, that I began descending the mountain to the Chakra ponds and I found him standing in front of the first one, staring into the distance.

"Good" he said.

"You've arrived."

I had previously heard of these ponds. They represented the flow of energy in one's body. It was only the first step of the trials. I had heard of them before. If Aang hadn't left so soon, it would've been him here, learning the way of the Avatar. Not me, but my brother was dead.

"Why am I here?"

He stood where he was, still looking in the distance. He took a deep inhale and a just as deep exhale.

"You are here because you are a walking body of pure, but idle energy. Have the airbenders tried to teach you to airbend?"

The question still annoyed me. "Of course they had. Thousands of time!"

He breathed out and said "I see."

Now I was confused as to what was happening.

"What do you see?" I asked legitimately curious.

"You will learn in time."

I wanted to be annoyed, but remembered all that had been done for me. I reminded myself of this by unclenching my right hand.

I exhaled and let myself calm down.

"What do we do first?"

He turned around and smiled.

"First, you must understand how energy works. There is much of it inside your body, but it is not flowing as it should. Take this stream for example." He said motioning to it.

"He picked up a stick and said "The water is being held back by the moss that covers it, but once you remove the mo-"

"-The energy flows free." I finished.

He looked back at me and smiled.

"Good. Then let us move on."

He took me next into a cavern that led deep into the mountain. I trusted him the entire way. He led far into it enough that the light from the outside was barely visible. We climbed to the top of a mound that stood tall in the center. He sat on one side and I naturally sat on the other.

"Are you aware of how many chakras there are?"

I knew this. "Seven."

"Correct. Each pool of water you saw earlier represent a chakra. Just as each pool was blocked by gunk, each chakra is blocked by an emotion."

"We are at the Earth Chakra. Located at the base of the spine." He continued. "It deals with survival, but is blocked by fear."

My view changed and I saw Mark's dead body after he killed himself. It changed to different images of the dead people I've seen, even air nomads.

I heard above the images, "Think of what you are most afraid of."

"Losing my friends." I said as the images continued.

"Loss is an aspect of life that must be dealt with. One of the hardest ones as well, but as long as you do not let their sacrifices go in vain and they are always remembered, they are never truly lost."

The images ended and my view switched back to reality.

"Congratulations. You have unlocked your first chakra."

He led me through the cave until we exited the cave to a body of earth behind a waterfall. He sat don as we had before and I sat on the opposite side.

"Water chakra I'm guessing?"

He looked up and smiled. "How did you know?"

I looked around, smiled, shrug, and said "Lucky guess."

"This chakra is located at the sacrum. It deals with pleasure, but is blocked by guilt."

My view changed again. "What do you blame yourself for?"

I saw the burning corpses of air nomads littering the grounds of the Southern Air Temple. "I failed to defend my people from extinction."

"There was nothing you could have done. You were young and weak. Do not be so hard on yourself. You have not failed to save your people just yet."

So there were more nomads. Or am I who he refers to?

I felt a relief hit me and the images stopped.

"Good." He said. "Onto the next."

A couple of hours later, we were sitting next to each other on the edge of the mountain overlooking a cloudless day, burdened with extreme heat.

"Next is the Fire chakra." He said. "it is located in the stomach."

I had just realized I was hungry and I unintentionally let it growl too loudly.

"This chakra deals with willpower, but is blocked by shame."

"What are you ashamed of?"

I saw myself kill Fire Nation soldiers. I wasn't myself then, but I still took lives. I wouldn't do it again.

"You did what you did to save those you loved, but that is not you anymore. You have found a different path. I path of lightness."

He was right. That wasn't me anymore. I let my shame dissipate and felt pounds lighter when I reopened my eyes.

Three hours later, we were atop the mountain in the ruins of a building. The roof was open to the air. So were the walls and doorway.

"The fourth chakra is located in the heart. It deals with love, but is blocked by grief."

"Lay all your grief out in front of you."

I saw my brother. The only family I ever knew. I remembered all the times we spent together. Our trip to Omashu, the colonies, the Fire Nation. It was just us. We weren't just brothers. We were best friends. Then I saw him as he left me and the attack that followed later that year. The extermination of all Nomads. Him no doubt included.

The only family I ever had, dead. It nearly broke me. I'd never love again.

"You cannot prevent yourself from loving again." I heard.

"You will find those whom you will vow to keep at your side. You may doubt this now, but it will happen soon enough."

My view changed to Aang and I again. It was the memory of us using the mail system in Omashu.

My vision ended and I was back in reality. I felt the grief end, but still envied the simpler times.

It was approaching evening. We sat in front of a statue of an Air Nomad woman. She sat cross legged, hands against each other. I recognized the statue as an Avatar, but I couldn't tell which one.

"This chakra is in the throat."

I looked up and all of a sudden felt a sore in my throat. Just my imagination.

"It deals with truth. And is blocked by lies. The ones we tell ourselves"

This vision was different. It was no flashback. I was in the middle of a dark room surrounded by mirrors. I saw my reflection in one. Its eyes were closed. In an instant, they opened. "You are nothing." It said.

The voice doubled. "You are nothing."

Then tripled until all mirrors on all sides were calling me nothing.

I didn't argue. I as the last nomad, yet I left the art of airbending to die.

"You are not nothing." I heard Pathik's voice say.

"You may not see it now, but you will become more than you or anyone else every though you would. You are not the disappointment you believe yourself to be.

The first mirror shattered, starting a chain reaction of the others shattering until I sat on the ground surrounded by glass shards. I stood up and found a large shard on the ground reflecting my face. I stomped on it and I returned to reality.

It was sunset on the steps leading to the top of the temple.

"The light chakra is located in the forehead."

"It deals with insight, but is blocked by illusion. The greatest illusion of this world is that of separation, but- "

"-But we're all one people. Just because we're divided on different bodies of land, it makes us no different yet we live as if disconnected, but we're all connected. Right?"

"Good."

It was night on the top of the temple.

"Do you know what the last chakra is?" he asked

"Thought."

"Correct. Now please take the time to think. Who are you?"

What did he expect from me? A name?

I'm Luke.

"I know your name, but who are you?"

"An air nomad?"

"Are you asking me?"

"An air nomad."

"I did not ask for nationality. Did we not learn anything one chakra ago?"

I breathed in and said "I am Luke. "Born of air nomads and raised by air nomads. Brother of the Avatar, Aang. Fighter against the Tyranny of the Fire Nation."

He said nothing for a while until he spoke. "I'm afraid that is incorrect."

"What?"

"Do you know why you have never met your parents?"

"Isn't it against the rules for a child to meet his parents?"

"Maybe what they told you, but is not the case for others. Your mother disobeyed the Air Nomads Council. Do you know what this crime was?"

I shook my head.

"Your mother was an air nomad. Your father as well as your brother's was a firebender."

My eyes widened.

"Your mother gave birth to your brother. They found him to be the avatar soon after so he was forbidden from meeting her and she was permitted to bear another child."

"Me."

"Yes, but you were not what they hoped for. You were not an airbender."

I knew where he was going with his and I didn't know if I was ready.

"You are a firebender."


	40. Chapter 18: Firebender

"Bullshit"

"It's true"

Everything this man had said up to this point had made me admire him, but now, he was pissing me off.

"If it really is true, then how the hell would you know this?"

He closed his eyes, sat on the ground and said, "Because the world is connected. One must only listen to what it has to say and all will be revealed."

"That's nice, but my dad wasn't a firebender and I sure as hell am not!"

"Have you ever taken the time to try?

"To bend? Of course I have. Spent my life doing it until I was 7 and the nomads told me I was useless!"

"You wanted to airbend, believing you could, but you couldn't-"

"Thanks for the reminder."

"-Because you aren't an airbender. There is no way for me to prove your heritage to you unless you let go of your earthly binds. This is the final chakra. Let go of what keeps you tethered to this world and become one with it rather than one living on it."

I had enough of this shit.

"I'm leaving."

I was surprised when he didn't resist. Honestly disappointed, but I made my choice.

I grabbed my jacket and my bag from my room once I got back and left. 48 hours ago, I left at this time to ascend the mountain and this time I was coming back down.

I left the stone building of the temple and one last time saw Pathik meditating where he always did. I turned the other way and walked to the exit. I reached the path that would take me down the mountain back to my camp.

Within an hour, I could no longer see a temple at the top of the mountain. Only grey clouds of the night sky.

That same hour, the temperature dropped from 70 to 50. Appropriate Fall temperature. The jacket managed to keep me warm.

The next hour, I could begin to see the first flakes of snow descending from the sky. It was common for this altitude. The temperature dropped from 50 to 30. I began to really get cold.

The last hour of the trek, I saw two things. The ground and the clouds of a blizzard. The last hour became the last three hours. The first wind of the blizzard knocked me off of the narrow path I was standing on. I fell off as did my backpack, falling to an unknown location. I dropped and felt my back hit stone feeling as if I had broken my spine. An ironic way to die if it came to it. Ascended a mountain hoping to heal a crippled limb, but becomes paralyzed on the way down. I checked and was still able to move all four limbs. I got on my hands and knees and felt the blast of wind strike me again, combined with the force of snow and ice. I was pushed off my limbs and thrown further down the mountain. My ribs got hit by the side of a cliff on the way down. After I landed on a stony surface, I could taste my own blood in my mouth. I heard the rumble of a thousand explosions and looked up to see a spontaneous avalanche form and come down towards me. I looked for a way to get away, but there was none, aside from a slit in the mountain through which I entered, leading to a cave. I barely managed to fit through before the avalanche reached me and I saw the instantly created snow cover the entrance.

I didn't realize until then how cold I was. I could see my own breath form in front of me and began to feel the hairs on my head freeze into icicles.

I continued through the cave for an hour before I nearly collapsed from the feel of my leg giving up from me. I fell face down on a sheet of ice and barely managed to get back up.

In that moment, I wished for everything Pathik had told me to be true. I willed my father to be a Firebender and myself his successor.

/-/-/-/-/-/

Tom had heard the avalanche before he had woken up and seen it with his own eyes. He opened the flap of his tent and the top half of the mountain had been replaced with a cloud of white snow.

Yin came out of Tom's tent where he also slept and saw it too.

Zare came out last shortly after and looked up at the sky of white snow.

"Luke's still up there." She said.

"I know." Tom said quietly, still taken aback by the instantaneous change in climate.

"Well? We have to get him!"

"Yeah. Yin, stay here and wait for us to get back!"

Yin wasn't going to be left behind for being the youngest again. "I'm coming with you."

"No. You're not. We need someone to look after our shit."

"From fucking who?"

Tom had lost the verbal exchange and prepared for how he was going to ensure Yin's survival in the hell of the weather ahead. Except he didn't have too.

3 miracles happened in that minute. The first was the image of Luke, coming out of a cave near the base of the mountain, through a hill of snow. The next was his right arm raised, holding something inside of it as if being presented to an audience. The third and last was the tiny flame he held in his hands, illuminating a glow on Luke's face as he made his way away from the natural disaster behind him.


	41. Chapter 19: Earth Kingdom Distress Call

The following morning me made it back to the Brigadier the following morning.

It was our first meal, dinner since we came back that Tom spoke up saying I had something to say. I felt a knot tie in my stomach. These people have been fighting firebenders for as long as I had known them. They're friends had been killed by them and the destructive power they. No. We possessed was one we never wished to get near and now, one of their friends was one of them.

"I. I saw the guru in the temple. As you can see, my right arm's healed and functional again." I gave a weak smile as I stretched my fingers and proceeded to the hard part. "He told me about who my parent's where. My mother was an airbender and my father was a firebender."

What was said next made the last time both great in some aspects and terrible in others.

Boss spoke up saying "So? What does it matter. Not all firebenders are assholes."

Jet spoke next saying "It was before the war. If we found out he was still alive now after all of this, that would be different."

"And so am I apparently." I said with one final breath after hearing that last comment.

I heard the falling of silverware on the table from a few people and I looked back at my plate hoping it could all be over.

"Bullshit." I heard Dave's voice say.

"He's not lying" said Tom.

"Tom and Yin saw him as did I." said Zare.

There was a silence until Tom spoke up saying "This is a good thing. If he's trained and learns how to use his abilities, we'll be much better off."

"I agree" said Amec."

"So do I" said Boss.

Jet spoke next saying "Seriously? This is fine with you? Do you remember what the Fire Nation's done to us? What the firebenders have done to us and our families?"

"Don't forget that firebenders killed everyone I knew." I spoke up saying. "This isn't exactly easy on me!"

"Shut up! Are you seriously okay with this, Boss?"

"The Fire Nation is the enemy. Not firebenders." He said.

At that point, Jet stood up and left. It was a few minutes until Dave spoke up saying "Can you. You know. Show us?"

"It came and went." I said shaking my head. "I'm hoping for it to come back to me. It only worked while I was about to die."

The day ended with that and I stood up next and left.

The next morning, the atmosphere of the ship really changed for the better. Everybody was a lot calmer and everybody seemed back to normal aside from Jet. I expected Longshot to show hostilities as well, but to my relief, he didn't. Even if he did have some hatred towards me, he didn't exactly say anything.

It was around noon when we heard the cawing of a messenger hawk coming from the starboard side of the ship. The hawk couldn't be lost considering how far into the sea we were. I was coming to us.

I was practicing close quarters combat with Tom, given our similarities in height on the deck when the hawk landed on the railing of the ship and turned around to reveal a satchel embedded with the Earth Kingdom logo.

I opened the container and took out the note. I read the first few lines, reading…

" _Tellevora village garrison taking fire from Fire Nation soldiers._

 _By order of the King, the Earth Kingdom requests immediate aid and relief._

 _You will paid in a percentage of looted Fire Nation armor, weapons, and miscellaneous supplies."_

"Boss!" I yelled loudly so he could hear me from where he overseeing Amec and Zare practicing CQC as well.

He looked up and walked over. I raised the letter and he took it from my hands. As he read, I said "Looks like we have a reputation."

Amec and Zare came over as well to see what was going on. They read the letter over Boss's shoulder and Amec said "It could be a trap."

"That's always a risk." Said Boss.

"But if it's not, this is what we need to start a good reputation with the Earth Kingdom." I said. "They don't know who we are, just that we're resistance fighters. We should make a good first impression."

Boss closed his eyes as though trying to make a decision and said "All right. I'll tell the others and we'll be on our way."

I knew this is what we really needed. A chance to prove ourselves as valuable resources in fighting the Fire Nation.

I knew it was going to be risky, but we needed this.


	42. Chapter 20: Sabotage

We had just left a few hours ago when we already had a Fire Nation ship following us again.

"Fuck." Said Tom next to me, looking from the rear of the ship. "We have company."

"By the looks of it, it's Zuko's." I said. "Should we ask Boss what to do about?"

"Yeah."

We found Boss in the bridge, talking to Jet, most likely discussing how to handle the situation.

"Boss- "I started.

"Yeah. I know. I'm working on it."

I overheard bits of the conversation from the doorway and It seemed we were going to try to hold our ground. Boss got up a few minutes later and told me to gather everyone on the deck.

A couple of minutes later, we were all gathered on the deck.

"The Fire Nation Prince is back on our trail. We can't afford to lead him to where we're going. We have to cripple their ship and hope to get away. I'm looking for volunteers who will sneak aboard and plant explosives at several key points!"

"I'm in." I said.

I expected objection, but was glad when I got none.

"Good. So Luke will- "

"Count me in too." I heard Zare say from the other side of our semicircle of members.

I couldn't hear what was going on, but Amec pulled her aside as though to talk her out of it, but from what I could quietly hear, it was to no avail.

Boss heard it to and continued.

"Luke and Zare will sneak aboard and plant explosives in the engine room. The rest of us will pose as Fire Nation. After today, they'll know who we are, so let's make one final show!"

I headed to the armory first thing to grab some explosives. We knew our part. Zare was close behind me.

"You join because you don't trust me or because you just want to see shit blow up?" I asked.

"Little bit of both."

"So you too don't trust me."

"It's not -cause you're a firebender. I know what the others are like. I've spent time talking to each of them. They all seem trustworthy."

"But I don't."

"I'm not sure about you yet."

I chuckled and said sarcastically "Then I'll be sure to be on my best behavior today."

We reached the armory and found the box of dynamite.

Zuko's ship was a scout class, fitted with a more powerful engine, but less armor plating. It had a smaller engine room with more shit packed into it. A single explosion in the right spot would start a chain reaction, crippling the engine.

I took 4 sticks out of the case for good measure and fitted them with longer fuses.

I handed off two to Zare who grabbed them and fit them into a small bag on her back.

I grabbed the other two and put them into my own pack.

I was about to leave before she sarcastically "Genius. We're not all firebenders."

I continued looking at her confused before she said "matches."

"Right. My bad."

I grabbed two match boxes that were close to the dynamite and handed one to her and kept one for myself. I didn't know how to firebend exactly. I needed to practice on my time. I could risk fucking up on something like this.

I was getting up to leave when I saw Jet in front of the armory door.

"You're going to need help getting aboard the Fire Nation ship undetected." He said.

I grinned and said "You planning on throwing us across?"

"Funny. No. Talk to Longshot. He'll shoot a hook to the other side."

"When you say talk, you mean I do the talking, right?"

Jet didn't respond and just left.

"Nice guy." I said to Zare who was watching with amusement.

From the armory, I heard the ship begin to slow down to board with Zuko's ship.

"Let's find Longshot." Zare said.

"Yeah."

Longshot was on a balcony off the ship of the engine funnel when we found him.

I climbed the ladder to the balcony first and said "Jet said you'd get us across?"

He nodded and the three of us watched as the two ships lined up with each other. When both ships stopped, he pulled out an arrow from his quiver and quickly shot a perfectly accurate arrow at the other engine funnel balcony. The arrow's rope line caught around the railing and Longshot secured the other end. He then motioned for us to go.

"Thanks." I said as I grabbed the line and started moving my way across. The line was at no angle so I actually had to move along it with my hands rather than just sliding across.

There were no guards on the balcony. Good.

I grabbed hold of the railing one it was within reach and pulled myself on top of it.

There were hand railings to go up the funnel. I used them and at the top, I looked into the funnel to see what was there.

There were railings leading down the funnel into the engine room. Perfect way to get in unnoticed.

"What are looking for up there?!" I heard her ask from the balcony below.

I waited a second and replied with "There's a ladder leading down the funnel. I think we can get in that way.

"Won't it be hot as hell?!"

"The engines shutting down to board our ship. Won't be **as** hot, but still pretty hot."

There was a moment of pause most likely being used by her to contemplate the other solutions until she said "Alright. Coming up."

When she started climbing the ladder to get to the top, I began making my way down the funnel. Of course, It was hot as hell, but the smoke and cover was perfect for such an entry.

Light then became visible from the burning embers at the bottom of the funnel and I began to slow down.

I changed my orientation and looked down into the gap at the bottom through the grating. In the engine room, there were still engineers hard at work. That would make it all the harder to get in. I changed my orientation again and stayed put right above the gap until Zare caught up with me.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"The room's full of engineers."

"So what now?"

As if on cue, a loud voice was heard through the ships, speaker system.

"We are under attack! All crew to battle stations!"

The announcement ended and the synchronized sound of footsteps rushing away could be heard from where we were.

"That."

I let my feet off of the handrails and let them dangle before I swung forward and kicked the grating off of the engine.

It popped out first try with a loud _clank_ as it fell on the ground and I swung myself out shortly after.

Sure enough, the room was now empty and pitch quiet aside from the echo of my previous action.

Zare came out after me and we both took a look around the room, scanning for the most vital and expensive equipment to destroy.

I was surprised that such a vital part of the ship would be abandoned even in an attack. It couldn't have been lack of troops. It was plain stupidity.

No doubt though that the battle would be over before the dynamite would explode. They would find the explosives, defuse them, and it would be for nothing.

I opened my pack and unloaded all the contents on the ground. I then grabbed the two sticks of dynamite, matches and put them back in the pack and began to leave the room.

"What? Leaving already?" Zare said from behind me.

"I'm going to make a distraction on another floor so they don't come back here when the battle ends."

"I was expecting objection, but she just said "Alright. Don't get killed."

"Thanks."

I left the room and took the nearest stairway up. I could begin to hear the sounds of battle going on outside. They wouldn't last long against firebenders like these. They would have to be on the defensive to survive.

I got to the third level up and exited the stairway. I saw the pantry and picked my first target. I kneeled down, opened my back and took out a stick of dynamite. I took out the matches and lit the fuse further down the fuse rather than at the tip. I put the dynamite in between two loaded shelves of food and grabbed the pack and left the room. I made my way back to the staircase and just got up on more level when I heard the explosion. It was loud and so unexpected even though I lit it that I jumped.

I realized I was standing still for some reason and continued to move. I found the armory and chose my next target. It was perfect. There was a whole other box of dynamite in the room. I grabbed the box, put it on the floor and opened it. I opened my pack and loaded my bag with as much dynamite as I could carry. I closed the bag, took a stick of dynamite out of the box, and grabbed for the matches only to realize there were none.

"Fuck." I said under my breath.

I looked around me. There was no one there and no one coming. I had time.

I then focused. Not on the fuse, but on all the energy I could find inside of me. I imaged a growing flame. I imagined this energy in my body coming together to create aa single flame. I closed my eyes and focused as hard as I could. I felt a heat in my body begin to grow. An inner heat. I focused more. I then felt an outer heat at the tip of my right hand. There it was. A small, living flame. I smiled out of disbelief and joy. I shook my head, thinking it may just be a hallucination, but It was still there.

I grabbed the stick of dynamite and lit the fuse. Perfect. I put the lit dynamite back in the half full box, closed it, and put it back on its shelf. It would make a huge explosion, so I had to go. I got up, turned around, but the doorway wasn't empty. At the doorway was none other than an armored Fire Nation prince, Zuko.

"So you're the one who's been destroying my ship. You're just a kid."

"I grinned, despite the grim circumstances and said "Well you're just a teenager."

This made him angry. Anger was good. I made the opponent not think straight. It did just that right then.

He looked at me with pure hatred, creating a ball of fire in his hand and charged forward, ready to use the ball of flame against my face at close quarters. I sidestepped out of the way at the last moment, pushed against his back with my right arm to push him back and boost myself forward. I got out of the room, and shut the steel door behind me. I spun the wheel on the door so it locked and heard the prince bang on the door with his arms.

I backed up and started to make my way down the hallway when the pounding stopped and the explosion sounded.

It was **loud.** I found myself on the ground when my vision came back and my ears were full of the white noise of ringing. I looked behind me to see the flaming wreckage of the armory.

Was he dead?

I made my way back and looked through the armory's doorway.

In the middle of the flaming room, with a ball of fire circling around him was the Fire Nation Prince. He was very much alive.

He yelled, transferred the fire to his hand and threw it forward. I dodged out of the way and the fireball hit the wall behind where I previously was. I ran down the hallway and up the stairwell. I could hear him approaching.

I didn't know why I went up until it was too late, but I stuck with it.

I made it to the top floor and onto the bridge. I shut the hatch behind me and went onto the observation deck. I could then see the battle below. Surprisingly on the battlefield was an old, short, and fat man who was actually fighting.

He turned from the battle and looked up at me. I knew I had been spotted. I ran away. On the sides of the bridge was a small platform for maintenance. I took it and shimmied to the other side where I could see the engine funnel, going much higher than the bridge. On the rope, near our ship, was Zare who had just made it across to the other side. Good. I now had to worry about myself. There were handheld on the side closest to me though. I looked behind me and made the jump. I grabbed a handheld with my right hand and barely held on. I grabbed it with my other hand and then got my feet on it. I made my way around the circumference of the funnel and got onto the balcony. I began walking across the top of it, tight roping my way across. I was half way across when I thought I was in the clear when I heard a metallic clang behind me and saw Zuko on the same balcony. I thought he would cut the line, but he didn't. He didn't though. He began walking across, but at a much faster rate.

He was quickly gaining ground on me. I lost my balance and fell off. I was now grabbing the rope with my two hands. I realized I was screwed unless I could cut the rope, but I didn't have a knife or anything close to it.

I closed my eyes again and focused on the same energy. This time, it was an energy of fear. I could feel the vibrations in the rope as Zuko got closer. I felt the fire in my hand, opened my eyes and raised the fire to the rope. I watched layers of rope diminish while the feet between Zuko and I also diminished. Zuko was within two feet of me when the last layer of rope broke and the rope split.

I began to fall, but kept my grip on the rope. I reoriented myself so my feet would hi the side of our ship first. I bent my knees to absorb the impact and it worked. I was now vertical to the ship funnel. I looked behind me and saw the last second as Zuko fell into the water below. I smiled and made my way up.

It was a minute later, making my way to the bridge of the ship when I noticed the distance between us and Zuko's ship diminish. We were retreating. I ran up to the bridge and saw Jet standing there watching as the two ships parted ways.

"Why are we retreating?" I asked.

Jet continued looking and I got onto the observation deck where Longshot had been, shooting at Fire Nation troops just in time to see a flash of light followed by the collapsing of the engine funnel and the total destruction of the rear of the ship. I smiled out of amazement. Zare really did a number on it.

Speaking of her, she, Tom, and Boss entered the bridge all with a look of hatred on their face.

"What the fuck is your problem, Jet?!" I heard Boss say.

I was confused as to what was happening.

Jet replied with "We destroyed their key points and were ready to leave. If we stayed any longer, we would have taken casualties."

Zare then spoke up saying "You left my brother behind you asshole!"

"He's still alive. If we stayed longer, he would be dead."

The hatred on her face said it all. She wanted to kill him.

Boss then spoke up "You had no authority to do that. I'm in charge here!"

Jet got up, was about to leave the bridge and said "Sometimes you need to do what others aren't capable of doing."


	43. Chapter 21: What is to Come

I stood on the bridge as Boss put a hand on Jet's shoulder and threw him back into the room. The argument continued and I watched the anger that ensued.

"It wasn't your call to make!" argued Boss.

"Somebody had to make the call and it looked like you weren't doing it!" argued back Jet.

"We could have gotten everyone out!"

"More of us would just get killed if we stayed longer or went back for him now!"

I knew already that the argument was over. Zuko's ship was retreating slowly, but surely. They already had their lead and we had our own objective.

Zare realized the futility of the situation as well and left the bridge. I knew how she felt. It was a worse feeling to have left somebody behind and in a way betray them, leaving them to the hands of the enemy than watch them die and know it's over. I pitied her, but let her be. She needed time.

Surprising me, Boss was the one to leave next, leaving Jet and I alone.

I turned to leave, but was interrupted by Jet saying "You know why I did it, right?"

I did know. "You wanted to minimize casualties." I said, still facing the exit.

"Yes."

"But at the cost of abandoning our friend." I continued.

He sighed and said "Also Yes."

"Why?"

"It was that or have somebody be killed. He's still alive this way."

"Is he? Do you know what the Fire Nation does to people?"

I expected a pause of acknowledgement that he didn't, but he replied with "Yes. I know too well."

I let the silence continue for a few more seconds before saying "Then you know what the Fire Nation does to prisoners of war."

"Some people have to make hard decisions when nobody else will."

I left. I needed rest.

I returned to my quarters and lied down. I woke up a few hours later at evening. I abandoned my room, grabbed my brown jacket, put on pants and shoes and left the steel quarters. I stepped onto the main deck where a few other people were to my surprise.

I then realized the reason for the gathering. Land was visible. A wide beach that then became a forest, but beyond the forest was the sight of grey smoke against the darkening sky.

Tom spoke up saying "That's it. That's the front line."

The ship came to a stop. Jet and longshot came onto the deck. Followed by Zare who didn't seem exactly talkative and finally Boss.

We were all here. Yin, Boss, Tom, Zare, Jet, Dave, Longshot, and me.

Boss walked to the railing on the starboard side of the ship, turned around, and looked at us, back to the smoke and fire.

"We're here. The Earth Kingdom is waiting for us for help. Let's make a good impression and this could do us a lot of good in the future. Grab your gear, anything you might need and meet me at the landing craft bay in ten minutes!"

It was straight down to business. It was unusual, but welcome.

I went to my room and grabbed some simple armor. Chest plate, knee pads, shoulder pads, and gloves. I put them on. I grabbed the knife I kept on my nightstand and walked down past a few other people in the armory.

I walked down the stairs to the bottom level. It was definitely the most interesting level.

Every modern Fire Nation ship is equipped with one mechanized landing boat on the bottom most level. They're fast ships and have a good amount of room on board.

I got there second only to Boss who was already there. I sat down on a bench on the right side of the steel boat.

Tom came next and sat down on one of the benches, with a few pieces of the red and black Fire Nation armor. He sat down and was followed by Dave who sat in front of me on the bench that faced me.

He looked actually excited.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked.

He looked up with his grin and said "The last time I was in actual frontline combat was for the wrong side. I'm ready to make up for it and excited for the thrill of it."

"Any advice for a new timer?"

Boss turned around from where he was, at the helm of the boat and said "Don't worry about what's always in front of you. Keep your eyes on your surroundings. You can be just as easily flanked as you can, overwhelmed from up front."

This was beginning to sound worse and worse the more I heard it. I felt my stomach begin to form into a knot, but then heard Dave say "We'll have support from the Earth Kingdom. They're good fighters and noble men. They'll have your back so long as you have theirs."

I didn't feel like talking so I just nodded.

Zare came next and sat down on the same bench as me, next to me on my left.

I turned to her and asked, whispering "You holding up okay?"

"Fine." She whispered back.

Yin came next and sat on my right side. He seemed especially nervous.

Boss noticed it too and said "You sure you wanna come along, Yin?"

Yin looked up, didn't say anything at first, but then said "Yeah. Yeah. I'll be fine."

Boss nodded and turned back to the controls.

I put a comforting hand on Yin's shoulder and then patted his back for encouragement.

He looked back at me and gave me a weak smile that really showed just how young he was and reminded me just how young I still was.

Jet and Longshot came last. Jet with two hooked swords at his sides and longshot with his bow and a quiver of over twenty arrows. They took their seat along with Tom who was previously standing. Boss stepped out and flipped a switch on the side of the Ship bow door in front of us. A mechanical whirring was heard and the last light of evening became visible as the front of the ship lowered, making room the descent. A shallow layer of water poured into the room so the landing craft had something to move on to get out.

The water would later be removed by the ship's drainage system. Boss returned to the helm of the craft and started the engine. The familiar sound of a running engine tensed me up again and the boat started. We left the interior of the ship and the door closed automatically behind us. As the door shut, we left our ship behind, and we approached the shore, I had a strange feeling that things weren't going to go as planned.


	44. Chapter 22: A New Beginning From Ash: 1

The knot in my stomach got tighter with each nearing explosion that echoed through the forest. It was louder when we reached shore. Louder when we trekked through the first layer of forest. And louder when we exited the forest to find the militarized village we had heard so much about. Tellevora.

We entered the town's gate, grouped together to find the village full of armored Earth kingdom soldiers. The soldiers there were either beaten down or terrified. The rest were the wounded huddled in small tents and civilian homes. The soldiers weren't the only casualties. Men, women, and children with scars, bandages, bleeding, and so on.

An Earth Kingdom commander met us near the center of the village while we were making our lay of the surroundings. Boss walked forward to encounter the superior.

"You're the resistance reinforcements?"

"That's us." Boss replied.

The commander offered his hand and Boss shook it.

"I'm commander Motson. I'm in command of the Tellevora garrison. As you can tell, things aren't so great out here. We're low on food and medicine, more wounded than we can count, half our soldiers are part of them, and we have an army of firebenders outside these walls ready to attack us."

"How can we be of help?" Boss asked.

"Right now, we need supplies. Our wounded are dying because they don't have any of the medical supplied they need. We got a report from scouts that the firebenders have a storage bunker a mile behind their lines. If you can get in there and grab any medical supplies and food that you can, it'll be of huge relief to our soldiers."

"We'll get it done."

"Thank you."

And that easily, all 8 of us found ourselves looking over the steel bunker dug into the side of the mountain, guarded by 2 Fire Nation soldiers in the middle of the night.

"Longshot." Boss whispered.

Longshot turned his heard to hear.

"Take out the 2 guards in the front. Quietly."

Longshot nodded his head and sprinted off without a noise to find a vantage point. A few seconds later, the two soldiers in front of the bunker were dead, lying on the ground, shot from a few hundred yards away.

Boss motioned for us to go.

We entered the bunker and found it empty. I found myself near the front of the formation so I had the pleasure of opening one of the steel doors of the bunker to find a well-lit supply closet full of food boxes, medical kits, and other miscellaneous items.

"Good find." I heard Boss say from behind me.

He moved in first and grabbed a box off a shelf marked with a red cross. Or X, depending on the angle looked at.

The rest of us moved in and grabbed what we could carry. We exited the bunker, arms full of precious supplies. Jet entered last, looked up to aa high tree and yelled "Gonna grab anything, Longshot?!"

He was answered with the shuffling of feet in the forest, the _whoosh_ of an arrow, and the dropping of a Fire Nation corpse.

"Never mind then. Keep doing what you're doing!"

When we got back to Tellevora, the Commander was obviously overjoyed.

"This is-. This is perfect. Thank you!" This'll last us at least another few weeks. Thank you! We're much better off than we were before. Drop the supplies off in the hospital building over there" he said pointing "and get some rest. We'll continue in the morning."

The night was a good one. In a strange twist of irony, 2 civilians became sick the night before, so we had their building to our resistance fighters as they spent the night in a newly stocked hospital.

The atmosphere of the room was more than pleasant. Every resistance fighter was more than content with the work they were doing. Any past tension seemed to have been alleviated and all were in good spirits. Even Zare was talking to Yin and I about how she was happy with our new contract work. She described it as "doing something actually worthwhile." While I could hear Tom in his own group refer to it as "Taking the fight to the Fire Nation." It didn't matter the reason, so long as the morale was high. We would all get good meals and sleep that night, satisfied with the work we were doing. We wouldn't be getting that again in a while.

We woke up to the sound of explosions and gravel from the ceiling falling on us. We grabbed are gear and headed outside to find lines of soldiers forming with squad leaders barking orders. Boss lead us to the Command Post building and we found Commander Motson, leaning over a map on a table, hands on his eyes.

He must have heard us come in because he said "The Fire Nations out of supplies now. They have no point waiting any longer. They've made their offense in the middle of the night. We lost forward lookouts Alpha, Bravo, Delta, and Echo. Charlie's all that's left, but they in heavy fighting. It's just North of here. I'm sending you and 50 soldiers to reinforce Charlie. Sergeant Tovri is in charge over there."

We started leaving the building, but were interrupted by him saying "If we lose Charlie, the Fire Nation will just march to Tellevora. We can't let that happen. Do what you have to do."

Lookout Charlie was a small outpost. A few trenches, tents, and crates.

We waited while Sergeant Tovri gave his orders to the squad commanders on how they were to protect the outpost. There was no heavy fighting going on at the moment, but it was bound to begin soon enough.

We were the last group to talk to the sergeant. Boss made the introduction.

"We're the resistance group. I'm Boss What are our orders?"

The sergeant took shook his hand and said "I'm Corporal Lenen. I need you to- "

"What happened to Tovri?"

"Tovri was killed two hours ago. I'm next in command. None of you are benders, right?"

"No. None of us."

I was about to object, but Boss turned his head to me and shook it.

I got the message and understood. You couldn't be any bender anywhere anymore. There were consequences for certain combinations.

"Alright. We have some crossbows and dynamite." He said as he started walking us to the cache. "Our demolitions experts and archers are all dead now so we have no use for it now." He stopped. "You know how to use dynamite?"

"Light fuse and throw. I think we got it."

Lenen smiled and said "Good."

He opened one crate first and handed out the first crossbow to Boss as well as a satchel of bolts. 'Pull the spring back, insert bolt, point towards firebender, and pull trigger. Got it?"

Boss turned to Lenen, nodded, and we left.

We all had our weapons, aside from Longshot who preferred his own bow at this point. Crossbows and 3 sticks of dynamite each.

We could see the troops getting into their trenches so we decided to follow suit. I've never had to be in a trench before, but the second I entered the long strip of hollowed ground, I understood their infamy. The wet ground, arid air, and bad smell.

The others groaned and gagged including myself as we got into our positions. Our trench was nearer to the front of parallel trenches. There were scattered foxholes around where single or doubles hid. I let my crossbow fall to the ground and I stuffed my dynamite in between my belt and pants. I looked above the wall of the trench and saw the forest beyond. In that forest, the Fire Nation was waiting. Waiting for us to lose our guard so they could kill us. Zare walked up next to me, put her back against the wall and slid down onto the ground, groaning.

I smiled and sat down next to her. "What? Not enjoying yourself?"

She looked down at the ground, holding her stomach and said "Please don't talk right now. I can't handle you and the smell at the same time."

I was going to ask how she was regarding the Amec situation, but decided against it.

"The smell's not too bad." I said.

"You live with yourself 24/7. You have to be used to bad smell."

"Well. Screw you too."

There was a pause where neither of us said anything until she spoke up, picking up the crossbow with her left hand. "Ever used one of these?"

I picked up my own and looked at it. It was unloaded. Probably for the best.

"Nope. Never. You?"

"Used an actual bow. Never one of these."

"I hear they're more powerful. Can penetrate Fire Nation armor."

She looked at me and said "So just what we need."

In that moment, an explosion sounded from the trench in front of us. I stood up and looked to see another explosion erupt as soldiers were thrown out of their trenches. Then everything happened all at once. Yelling, explosions, soldiers leaving trenches, smoke, and absolute chaos.

I looked to my left to find the others. I ran along the trench and bumped into Boss who was running in our direction.

"get out of the trench!" he yelled. He vaulted out of the trench and I saw what he was talking about. An Earth Kingdom soldier blew up 20 feet in front of me in a cloud of smoke, fire, and blood. I climbed out as well followed by an explosion behind me that sent me onto the ground.

I looked up and my eyes met that of a young soldier in Earth Kingdom attire. He was no older than 20. I gulped and got on my feet. I was holding my crossbow tightly in my hand, looking around for anyone I could recognize.

I grabbed a bolt from my quiver, pulled the spring back, and loaded it. It snapped tightly into position. The smoke began to clear and I saw the warfare.

The Fire Nation trapped our trenches with dynamite. Most likely man made tunnels they dug around us. They used the chaos to ambush us. It worked. I moved forward and saw a man on the ground, underneath a Fire Nation soldier. The man was Tom. I raised my bow and pointed to the soldier.

I pulled the trigger and the bolt sprung out, breaking the soldiers leg armor and hitting the soldier's knee. He fell off of Tom and Tom gained the advantage, getting on top of the soldier, and slit his throat.

He looked at me and mouthed the word "Thanks."

I nodded, but the truth was, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. I knew he was trying to kill my friend, but I still couldn't help but feel wrong for assisting in killing somebody. I knew I would have to get used to it. There was more fighting to be done.

I loaded another bolt as I caught up with Tom. I didn't know where he was going, but I'd rather not be alone. I didn't know where Zare was. We were separated the second it started. I hoped she was still alive.

"Tom!" I yelled.

"What?"

"The hell's going on?"

"You didn't hear Lenen?"

"No! What?"

"We're moving forward. Push the Fire Nation back to the forest."

I didn't exactly know how progress was going with that anyway. Our entire surroundings were engulfed in thick and gray smoke. I couldn't see more than 5 feet in front of me. Tom raised his own bow and loaded a bolt.

"Thanks for the help back there."

"No problem. You owe me."

Tom chuckled and continued moving, slowly.

I heard a loud continuous tapping to my right, turned and saw a spear wielding Fire Nation soldier emerge. I aimed low and shot.

I missed. I tried sidestepping, but wasn't quick enough to avoid the soldier altogether. I was tackled to the ground with the soldier on top of me. It wasn't long before the soldier took a bolt to the head, killing him on top of me. I pushed the bloody soldier off of me and was helped to my feet.

"I owe you nothing."

I barely had time to pick up my bow before a silhouette appeared in the smoke. I raised it, despite it being unloaded.

The clouds of smoke parted and out came Boss and Dave, holding their bows as well, theirs loaded.

"Everyone okay?" asked Boss.

"Can't find Yin, Zare, Jet, or Longshot."

Dave spoke up saying "The four of them are grouped up towards that direction." He said pointing."

"Let's meet up with them." Said Boss.

"I loaded my bow again as we ran. I felt my arm getting more sore each time I had to pull back the spring to load it. We found them hiding in an already detonated trench. They were under fire from firebenders in an opposite trench. Us four, being behind the firebenders had an advantage. Boss and Tom each took out a stick of dynamite, lit them, and threw them into the trench.

The firebenders took too long to notice. They exploded along with the rest of that part of the trench a few seconds later.

The others got out of the trench, no longer taking fire.

"Thanks for the help" said Jet.

"No problem." Said Boss. "We should find the rest of the Earth Kingdom forces and move forward."

"Agreed."

The smoke finally began to clear and more Earth Kingdom soldiers became visible. All started moving up, pushing the Fire Nation back to the forest. They got the jump on us, but weren't able to completely take the outpost. They severely cut our strength, but we would live to fight another day.

At least I hoped so. When the field cleared for us, it also did for the Fire Nation. The smoke was gone. They could see their targets now. Firebenders from across the field began shooting fireballs at us. The Earth Kingdom soldiers saw this and began moving back to the trenches where they weren't easy targets. I began moving back to at a slow pace until a soldier unintentionally moved in front of me and got directly hit. He fell to the ground in front of me. It would've been me. I couldn't help but feel guilty. I felt bad for the solder, but there was nothing I could do. I ran back and found the closest section of a trench. I nearly fell in as a fireball hit behind me. I looked around and saw nobody else with whom I was with until I saw Dave and Zare jump into the same Trench as me next to me. The fireballs continued to hit around our trench, but we were out of the open. We were trapped here. It was going to be a long day.


	45. Chapter 23: A New Beginning From Ash: 2

The chaos halted as quickly as it started. Suddenly, everything became quiet. No screaming, no explosions, no death, just the sound of heavy breathing of those lucky enough to still be alive. I didn't dare poke my head out to examine the situation. For all I knew, there were spearmen directly in front of the trench waiting to stab our heads the second we poked them out. I stayed where I was.

The silence continued for what felt like hours, but the lack of change in the surroundings told me it was minutes. I sat, back against the wall towards the enemy, next to a particularly impatient looking Earth Kingdom soldier. I didn't know if the silence was getting to him or the lack of action. Either way, it wasn't a good reaction to have at the moment.

I tried relaxing myself to avoid feeling the same way. I thought of anything that had no relevance to war, combat, violence, or death, but considering the conditions I was in, it wasn't particularly easy.

Finally, an actual hour passed. I was on the edge of breaking. I didn't think I could stay put another second. The Fire Nation could be moving around us as we stayed put, holed up in trenches. They could be Tellevora already, killing the leadership there. The online line of defense was stuck in a damn hole in the ground.

It wasn't me who broke the peace. It was the soldier next to me. He groaned so loud as compared to the silence that I thought the chaos was commencing again. I looked up from where I was staring at the ground to see him say "I can't take this shit anymore!"

He stood up tall, looking above the wall of the trench and came back down a second later with an iron arrow through his head. I realized then that I had been holding my breath for the last hour. I let myself breath out. There I had it. The enemy was outside waiting for us. We were stuck where we sat. I would spend the next many hours to come, sitting in a wet and damp hole, next to a soldier who served as an example for what would happen if we dared move.

The rest of the day took its time to pass. I hardly recognized the night sky when it came. The last time I sky the moon and stars was back on The Brigadier. I always wanted to know what the real soldiers had to endure. Now I pitied them along with myself now that I was with them. I didn't find myself sleeping that night. I could see Dave a few yards to my left and Zare around a yard to my right with a sleeping soldier between us. I didn't know how he did it. Maybe it was experience, stupidity, or he was just naïve. Whatever it was, I wanted it.

I got to the sun rise from below ground level that morning. The sky turned into a shade of orange, then yellow, then finally blue. It was already midday a few hours later. I had already spent 24 hours in this god forsaken hole. I found myself rather hungry and thirsty than tired. The other soldiers had it better. They had issued MREs. Our resistance group didn't exactly expect this to be the course of events so we failed to pack. I remembered the corpse next to me then. I turned to my left for the first time in a few hours and wished I hadn't. Maggots had already taken possession of the soldier's fatal head wound, but that wasn't where anything I needed was. I reached over, gagged once, and unbuckled the soldier's belt from behind his waist. I took it free and found a few roaches crawling up my arm. I knocked them off and crushed one with my fist as the rest ran away. I hoped they didn't find anything useful before I did.

I unbuckled one pouch and the most glorious sight in days fell out. Packs of dried biscuits. I opened one and treasured the second I spent eating it. I was about to open the next one and made the costly decision of looking to my right. I took one pack and slide it across the slippery mud to where Zare was. She looked across the soldier between us and nodded thankfully.

That was the last one I had and there was no water. The momentarily relief was over.

That night, I resorted to drinking the muddy water. I wasn't glorious, but it was hydrating, which was enough.

That night, something interesting happened. I was sitting against the wall of the trench, looking in the direction of Tellevora when I soldier's head popped out. It was Earth Kingdom, but I near had a heart attack. He put a finger over his mouth and said "Corporal Lenen requests the Fire Nation Resistance at Tellevora by O one hundred."

"What time is it?" I asked, dazed from exhaustion.

"Double O thirty."

"You'll tell the ones in the other trenches?"

"Yes. I'll worry about that. Get to Tellevora ASAP."

He turned around and crawled towards the next trench. I sat up for the first time in 36 hours and walked, crouched below the wall past the sleeping soldier to my right and to Zare. Tom my amazement, she was sleeping.

I tapped her soldier one. She didn't budge. I grabbed her shoulder and shook her slightly.

Her eyes slowly opened and she looked at me confused.

"Lenen wants us back at Tellevora in the next thirty minutes." I whispered. "I'm gonna grab Dave and we'll get going."

She rubbed her eyes, nodded, and quietly said "Uh huh."

I found Dave, awake and told him the situation. He seemed to understand. We got together and crawled out of the back of the trench, keeping to the ground, never raising our heads. We crawled the way to the nearest foliage which was a quarter of a mile behind the trench line and finally began to walk, still close to the ground.

After the mile hike, the candle lights of Tellevora was a welcome sight. At least it was until we came into view of mass graves of civilian and military bodies alike being added to at that moments.

They were casualties. Recent ones.

We walked into the Hospital. It wasn't a good sight. The entire building was a practical graveyard of any soldiers capable of moving treating their more-unstable patients. There was a lack of any doctors or medics in the entire area. Blood covered the floor and walls. There were amputated limbs sharing a waste basket with used needles that were being taken back out for reuse. Any medical supplies were being used by one armed, delirious soldiers, who were the only ones capable of holding anything.

We saw Lenen, near the back of the tent. He was talking to a one armed soldier who was soon dismissed. He rubbed his eyes and looked up to see us coming.

"Where're the others?"

"They're coming." I said. "What happened here?"

"They attacked Tellevora last night. Came in, intentionally injured everyone in camp, women and children too, rather than killing them. They **did** kill our doctors though. Now we have no expertise, we're running out of equipment, and we're all going to be dead here in a few hours if something doesn't change."

"What do you need done?" I heard Boss say from behind me with the oncoming group of the rest, including Jet, Tom, Yin, and Longshot.

"The Fire Nation's got it much better than us right now. They've got supplies and good medics out there. One of my men says he saw he shot a Fire Nation soldier with his crossbow 2 days ago and saw him yesterday."

"Can we ask him about what he might know about this Fire Nation medic?"

"No. Died of blood loss 2 hours ago, but the most likely place would be close behind their lines. They wouldn't want their medic too far back."

"Alright." Boss said. "We'll find this medic and brink him back here."

"Thank you."

Only Tom, Dave, and I went out to do this. We had to circumnavigate the Fire Nation lines which took a good 1 hour to fully get around. We found a camp with a large amount of tents around half a mile behind their front line.

We could see the medic outside, most likely taking a break, eating. There were two other Fire Nation soldiers. Guards.

We split up, taking positions around the camp. I moved slightly ahead while Tom, who was with me, made a noise by throwing one rock against another. I saw all three of them take notice. They had the one to the medic's left come out to investigate. Towards me. I hid low, he walked past me, and I sprung up, grabbed the soldier in a chokehold, turned his body towards the others. The other guard stood up with his spear, got grabbed from behind by Dave who was in position, and slit the soldiers throat in sync with my soldier passing out from choking. We all came forward.

The medic had his arms raised level to his head. He was a young man, maybe 20 or 21, but he was no soldier. That much was obvious.

"Pl-Please. I'm just a doctor. You don't have to kill me."

Dave walked in front of the soldier and held a spear to his head.

"Relax." I said. "We're not going to kill you."

I came behind and, grabbed him by the back of the neck of his armor and pulled him up.

He still had his hands in the air, even with me grasping him by the back of his neck.

"Please. I don't know anything. I'm just a doctor."

"Well you're in luck." I said. "We won't risk hurting you. You're just what we need right now."

"What?"

"Walk!" yelled Dave from behind him, spear pointed at him.

Tom rejoined us and looked amused to see the Medic being hassled as he was.

"What do you need me for?"

"You're Fire Nation killed our doctors and crippled every man, woman, and child in our village."

He stopped and said "We wouldn't do that!"

"Walk!" yelled Dave again.

I pulled the medic to the side so he wouldn't walk in the direction of the front line.

"Well. You did. And now you're going to right their wrongs."

"I'm not going to help the enemy!"

I switched my grip from the neck of his armor to the actual back of his neck. I wanted to convince him to do this. Not threaten. We couldn't have a full-blown enemy treating our injured. He'd slit their throats in their sleep, but judging by the "enemy" in our possession, that didn't seem like a huge risk, but better safe than sorry.

I talked strictly into the medic's ears. "You became a medic to help those in need of your aid. Half your patients on the side of your "enemy" are civilians. The rest are newly made cripples who won't be going back into combat ever again, but just will go back home to see their families. So please don't think of this as aiding the enemy. Just give these people a chance to live."

He was nodded his head furiously. Maybe out of agreement, nervousness, or both. Option C would be most preferable at the moment.

We got him back to Tellevora another 1 and a half hours later. We barely managed to avoid a Fire Nation perimeter patrol. We had to gag the medic so he wouldn't give away our position. Back at Tellevora, we ungagged him and brought him into the Hospital. We didn't know what he was expecting, but it was clear that it wasn't what he saw.

Lenen came towards us, saw the medic and congratulated us on getting him there. The medic just stood there, in shock.

Lenen turned to the medic and said "Alright. You're with us now, so you might as well save lives while you're here. Okay?"

The medic nodded his head.

"Good. Follow me and I'll show you where we need you most." With that, Lenen left with the medic following behind.

We saw the others in a group in the corner of the Hospital. They came forward and greeted us. Boss spoke first saying "We're needed back on the front lines. Charlie's under attack."

We got to Charlie a few minutes later. He was right. It was being destroyed. The outpost was already in flames and our troops were pushed out of the trenches. They were being slaughtered. We arrived with a few soldiers from Tellevora. We couldn't hold Charlie any longer. That much was obvious. We got separated almost instantly. I found myself behind a fortification of sandbags next to 2 Earth Kingdom soldiers who were both using crossbows along with me.

We took our targets wisely. There was a soldier Fire Nation soldier making a sprint for an earthbender. I aimed, fired, and the soldier took a bolt to the thigh and fell a foot next to the earthbender. The bender turned to the crippled soldier and finished him off with a boulder to the head. I loaded another bolt from my quiver. The soldier to my left took a shot at a Fire Nation soldier charging with a spear. The soldier took a bolt to the torso that completely broke through the armor and killed him instantly.

I saw 2 firebenders approach from our left flank. The one on the right caught an Earth Kingdom soldier hiding in a trench and burned him alive. I took a shot and it hit the soldier's shoulder. He fell down and slumped against the wall of the trench, still alive. The soldier on my left finished him off while the one on my right killed the other firebender. I loaded another bolt.

The Fire Nation noticed our progress. Our vision became engulfed in smoke as the Fire Nation troops deployed smoke bombs across the field.

"Shit." Said the soldier to my right. "They know we're here."

I heard a noise behind me. I looked above my left soldier in time to see a heavily armored Fire Nation soldier charge in with a war hammer and hit the soldier to my left in the stomach, crushing his insides and having him crumple to the floor. I raised my crossbow, fired, but missed as he grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I looked up as he hit the other sharpshooter in the chest and knock him to the ground. The soldier raised his hammer and brought down on the sharpshooter's head, crushing it into a pulp.

I saw my crossbow to my right, grabbed it and loaded the bolt. The soldier saw me and that I was still alive. I heard the click of the bolt being successfully loaded. He stepped on my chest and raised his hammer. I raised my bow, didn't take the time to aim, and fired.

The soldier's hammer fell down next to me and he fell next with a crossbow bolt in his head. It took me a few seconds to realize I killed him. I didn't feel anything. He just killed two people. He would have killed me next. I did what I had to do. I killed one soldier. I killed him to safe my life. With that, I got up. I stepped out of the barricade. Our archers were dead now. We had no ranged support.

I took my crossbow out and go ready for what was to come. The smoke mixed with the night sky in a terrifying combination. I couldn't see anything over than 3 feet in front of me. I shuffled forward carefully, not really knowing where to, kind of contradicting my last statement about carefully.

I heard fighting to my right and decided to go that way. I needed to find one of my friends. As soon as I rendezvoused with somebody I knew, conditions would improve. I heard running to my left, turned that way to see the smoke part for a Fire nation soldier charging at me with a spear, I raised my bow, but realized it wasn't loaded. I moved to the right at the last second and hit the soldier in the head with the back of my crossbow. He fell to the ground, still very much awake. I kneeled down and hit him again to knock him out. While I was at it, I loaded another bolt.

I came across what used to be a trench. It was completely caved in, but some half buried bodies of both factions were visible. I continued along and saw an earthbender, standing aimlessly, not really knowing where any threats were. He was just as confused as I was. A soldier came out of the smoke next to him and tackled him to the ground, holding in the air, trying to bring it down only to be slowed by the earthbender fighting back. The Fire Nation soldier's knife was making its way down.

I raised my crossbow and aimed this time. I fired and hit the soldier's helmeted head. The bolt penetrated all layers of protection and killed him instantly. The earthbender looked at me, still on the ground and nodded nervously as if saying thanks. I killed another person. This time, to save somebody else.

Then I saw Boss, Dave, and Tom. They were huddled together, back against back against terrible odds. A Fire Nation soldier appeared from the smoke just as they had in the past. He ran towards Tom who had his back turned. I reached for my quiver only to find it empty. I knew what I had to do. I hadn't tried it before, but I had to do it now. I focused any energy left inside of on a flame. I created one in my right hand, small albeit, but still there. I raised my arm and threw it at the oncoming soldier. I had created a flame before, but never used it in combat. So I was surprised when I did what I envisioned it doing and it hit the soldier square in the torso knocking him to the ground. Tom turned around in surprise and finished off the soldier.

It was after that, that he saw me. He came forward and said "Shit. Nice going there."

"Thanks." I said.

"Where are the others?"

"Jet sent longshot, Zare, and Yin back to Tellevora."

"On whose authority?"

"His own I guess."

Boss and Dave then approached me and Tom.

"Glad to see you're still in one piece." Dave said.

"Thanks. To you too."

The small reunion was cut off by the blaring of a horn coming from behind us, back from Tellevora.

"All soldiers retreat!" a voice yelled.

"We're retreating?" I asked.

"Looks like it."

We started making our way back and I looked behind us. The smoke was clearing. It was clearing to reveal a far worse site. Hundreds on Fire Nation soldiers with the combined forces of tanks were coming. We lost Charlie.

Halfway to Tellevora from Charlie was a small trading post. Us along with the soldiers set up there. We couldn't let the Fire Nation get to Tellevora no matter the cost. This was the last place we could hold out. We had to make it count.

Earthbenders set up in front of the main trading post building. They created barricades, road blocks, road-spikes, and anything else to stop the Fire Nation's advance. I had already ditched my empty quiver and crossbow back at the ruins of Charlie. All that was left for me was a knife and my firebending.

It was Tom, Boss, Dave, and I along with15 other Earth Kingdom soldiers and benders. The odds were so against us that I was relieved when I saw Jet rejoin us.

"Where were you?" asked Boss.

"I had to come in from the East. Fire Nation's holding the North road."

"Well." Dave said. "We always invite the extra support."

It was the same silence again. The kind that was always followed by worse to come.

So I was ready when a fireball hit a group of 3 Earth Kingdom soldiers, killing them. The earthbenders held their ground as the rest retreated into the building. The benders disabled a tank here, blocked the road there, crushed a firebender over there. It was a valiant effort, but that last of the 2 earthbenders in front of the post were overrun in time and killed. There were 10 left now including us Resistance members. I had grabbed a sword off of an Earth Kingdom corpse. We waited inside the building. There were two entrances. Boss, Dave, and I covered the front with 4 soldiers while Tom and Jet covered the back with 6 soldiers.

The first group of soldiers came in through the front entrance facing where the Fire Nation was coming from. They charged through, but were hated by us. The Fire Nation learned from their mistake.

A minute later, the post was being set aflame. They were forcing us out. No doubt the back exit was surrounded, but there wasn't a choice.

We gathered what resistance we had left and turned to the back exit. We had no earthbenders still alive so the exit we made was one of steel spears and swords. We forced our way out and as expected, found ourselves under the onslaught of Fire Nation ambushers. I saw 2 Earth Kingdom soldiers go down to my left. One soldier tried reaching me with his spear, but was too far away to reach. I moved forward and cut across his leg. He fell and blocked the path for more soldiers to follow. I found Boss and Dave and stayed by them. I saw Tom move off to the side with Jet, fighting off 4 spearmen alongside other Earth Kingdom soldiers.

2 Earth Kingdom soldiers stood by us. 4 Fire Nation swordsmen approached us. Our spearmen got to them first, taking out three before being attacked from the rear by the last swordsmen. Boss moved forward and avenged the Earth Kingdom soldiers by killing the last swordsmen. Dave pulled his own sword out of the soldier's chest. I don't know if I saw it first, but I didn't have time to react. A Fire Nation spearmen rushed in from behind Boss. I didn't have time to react and do anything. Dave did. He stepped forward, cut off the tip of the spear, grabbed the Fire Nation spearman and impaled him with his sword. Boss turned around and saw what his friend had just done for him. A second later, there was a sword through Dave's chest. The Fire Nation soldier took his sword out and Dave crumpled to the ground, limp and dead. I took a step forward, grabbed the soldier's shoulder, stared him in the eye and put a sword through his heart. I saw the soldier's eyes roll back as he died and I finally pulled the sword out. He fell to the ground, next to the corpse of Dave. I killed another man. This time, out of vengeance. I had never seen somebody I known actually get killed. I've seen dead bodies before, but I had never seen somebody die in front of me. This was different. Boss knew it too. He froze. He would be dead if there hadn't been a break in the fighting. He just stood there, atop a pile of bodies, looking at the corpse of his friends. Tom and Jet came over. Tom saw the body too and had a moment of realization of what he was seeing. His reaction was different. He was angry. He was ready to kill in the name of his fallen friend.

"Fuck." I said under my breath.

There was us and 4 remaining soldiers. The oncoming marching told us that we had to go.

"Boss." I said. "Boss!"

"Boss!" Tom yelled. "We have to go!"

"Dave died saving your life!" I said. "Don't have it be in vain."

He didn't snap out of it, but he nodded his head and came with the rest of us and the soldiers, leaving Dave's body behind.

We reached Tellevora. It hadn't been reached yet. Good.

Jet, Tom. and I entered the Hospital building. Boss leaned against the outside wall and slid down into a sitting position, face in his hands.

We got inside. The captured medic was treating the injured. The overall situation looked improved. However slightly. Lenen along with the rest of the Resistance fighters came forward to meet us.

"Did you stop the advance?" Lenen asked.

"No." I replied. "The Fire Nation's on its way. We have to evacuate as many people as possible right now."

He seemed shocked as if he didn't think about what to do in case of retreat. He snapped back into reality and said "Uh. Yeah. I'll gather any fit soldiers and- "

"No." I interrupted. "Civilians go first. We need as many soldiers here to protect wounded."

Lenen was in no position to argue. He nodded and said "Alright. Yeah. I'll have the medic get them on their feet.

Lenen left, leaving us alone.

"Where's Boss?" asked Yin.

"Outside."

"Dave?" Zare asked.

"Dead." Said Tom.

Tom left the building and Jet followed, then Longshot.

"So what now?" asked Zare

"Both of you go with the medic back on The Brigadier. The rest of us will escort the wounded. Make sure the medic treats them with any supplies we have and ensure he doesn't run off."

"Got it." Said Yin.

"We'll get the landing craft ready for evac." Said Zare.

"Sounds good." I said.

They both left and I found the medic getting a civilian patient on his feet. I realized that I had nothing to call him by so I made something up on the spot.

"Okay, Doc. Go with the wounded onboard our ship and treat to their wounds."

"My name's Rekalhek."

"Yeah. I can't pronounce that. Just do what I say, Doc."

"I'll stay with the wounded here. They need me more here than onboard a ship."

"And let you run back to the Fire Nation? You're getting on that ship now. Okay, Doc?"

"Fine."

He left out the door of the hospital. I was trying to keep my spirits high. In reality, I was terrified, hiding it behind jokes. My friend just got killed in front of me and I was looking forward to returning the favor to any Fire Nation soldiers I saw.

Around 5 minutes later, the landing craft was full of injured civilians, Yin, Zare, and Doc.

Now, it was Longshot, Tom, Jet, Boss, and I. Plus 7 able-bodied soldiers. The odds weren't good.

The first wave of Fire Nation soldiers arrived before the landing craft came back. They caught us by surprise and killed a sentry.

We engaged them head on. All of us aside from Boss. To my unbelief, he was sitting and watching. At one point, an enemy soldier charged at him and I had to step out of the fight, cut the soldier's leg across the knee and finish him off less than a yard from where Boss sat. Boss stood up, looked at me, shook his head, and walked into the hospital.

In 3 minutes, which was an eternity in combat, the first wave was gone. We lost 2 soldiers in total.

The landing craft came back with Zare piloting it. We got the rest of the civilians aboard and started getting injured soldiers aboard. We got around an eighth of the injured soldier population aboard, but we came under attack while we were loading the rest. I sent Zare off. We couldn't risk the Fire Nation attacking the transport.

Firebenders were part of the second wave. In just a minute of fighting, the town was set ablaze. We were pushed back into the hospital. This was where it ended. Firebenders and soldiers charged into the hospital. 3 quarters of their force attacked us while the rest went to work setting the hospital on fire. They started picking off the injured one by one. The far wall of the hospital exploded and I saw Lenen get stabbed through the stomach by a spearman. One soldier charged toward me and I killed him. In the corner of my eyes, an Earth Kingdom spearman got killed by a Fire Nation swordsman. I stepped forward, killed the swordsman while Tom killed a firebender right behind me.

Half of another Hospital wall crumbled into a cloud of dust. Boss now stood in the center of the hospital's wreckage, without a care in the world. He wasn't planning on surviving. I knew it was coming, but still couldn't help but feel grief when Boss was stabbed through the chest just as his friend had been and he joined the pile of bodies in the rubble. We had to evacuate. It was us and 2 more Earth Kingdom soldiers. I heard the engine of the landing craft and knew we had to get out. We ran through the village to the dock. One Earth Kingdom soldier was shot in the back by an archer, fell to the ground, tried calling for help, but was finished off by a final arrow to the head from the same Fire Nation archer. Longshot turned around, took out an arrow from his quiver and quickly shot the source of the arrow. Jet go on the transport first, then Longshot, Tom, the last surviving Earth Kingdom soldier, and me. Zare turned around to make sure we were leaving nobody behind and she took off.

I had lost friends before. I lost my entire race before, but this was different. The bodies of the people we left behind today were friends. Close friends. Just like that, they had been killed. We lost 2 friends today, more soldiers than we could count, and an entire village of civilians minus the 15 we managed to evacuate. This wasn't a victory. We lost today. It wouldn't be long before we lost even more.


	46. Season 4: Terror: A New Beginning

**1 week Later**

The injured were still injured, the sick still sick, the traumatized still traumatized, and the dead still dead.

Even with an infirmary full of dying soldiers, and a new man overseeing them, as well as new soldiers, the place never felt more empty. The most familiar faces that were every around me were gone now. I didn't know how I expected it to feel, but it didn't feel great. I was worried. Not that we wouldn't survive, but how. I felt no pity for the people I killed. I heard stories of how men looked back and saw the faces of those they killed whenever their eyes shut, but I looked back and felt no regret. I killed because I had to. I killed to save myself, others, and avenge those whose lives they took.

We dropped the civilians off at a heavily fortified Earth Kingdom city. Three days later, we received word that the Fire Nation laid siege to the town and killed everybody there.

We were losing.

And we were losing quickly.

We were expecting our last scout to return. He never did. His hawk came to us a day later, emptyhanded. It said all we had to know. That was 3 of us dead in less than a week.

Yesterday, a soldier went into cardiac arrest and died. There were only 3 injured left. The rest were corpses floating in the sea miles behind us. We weren't exactly heading anywhere, but staying in one place was too risky. Today, Jet asked us to see him in the mess hall. Doc didn't come. He was busy trying to keep the last 2 alive. One died in the middle of the night. Doc vowed never to sleep again until everyone on the ship was walking and alive on their own.

I knew he wanted to go back to his Nation, but he was dealing with it well. Right now, it wasn't about treason, it was about keeping people alive. That's what mattered to him.

I learned the name of the 2 Earth Kingdom soldiers who survived the massacre still in one piece. Cherrin and Ro. From what I learned, both were close friends from before they entered service.

Then Jet spoke to us in the Mess Hall.

"I know what you're all thinking. You're all thinking that we're dying a slow death. You don't expect us to last another few more days. That we're screwed. You're wrong. The Fire Nation thinks so too. They think that they got rid of us 7 days ago. They're also wrong. Most of us here are kids, but I've seen what we can do. Luke and Zare snuck aboard a Fire Nation ship and blew up half of it."

I was surprised by the use of my name and so was Zare apparently judging by the look on her face.

"I saw Dave break a soldier's right arm, steal his knife, and kill him with it those 7 days ago, minutes before he died a hero's death. We aren't ordinary kids. We're just as much soldiers as any Earth Kingdom veteran or Water Tribe warrior. We won't let this be the end of us. This is a new beginning. A beginning of a new era. Years from now, the remnants of the Fire Nation will learn of the massacre at Tellevora and remember it as the day they fucked with the wrong people. And they will regret until the day they die!"

Despite the small audience, the cheer was loud. I was part of it. Jet spoke of revenge. Justice for what happened. I was going to be part of it. This was the beginning of something else. Something better.


	47. Chapter 1: Unbloodied

I walked out of the mess hall alone. One of the first to leave at the end of Jet's speech. After a few minutes, he caught me in the hall, wandering.

"Luke!" he yelled.

I turned around to hear what he had to say.

"What is it?"

"I want us to leave the Earth Kingdom and move on to the Fire Nation."

This was unexpected. Not only was it crazy, but it was suicidal. Making a move on the homeland with our numbers and lack of manpower was asking to die.

"Jet, do you really think that's a good idea, with our current strength, to make such a move?"

"That's why I'm coming to you. I need you to go out into the Earth Kingdom and find people that can help us. I don't plan on staying for more than a week so I need this from you. We need people, weapons, vehicles, an extra ship maybe."

He was right. We needed the extra people most of all. I was still thinking of how I would steal a ship when Jet saw my face and asked "Luke?"

"It's a good plan. I'll do it."

"Good. Take Zare and Yin with you."

I didn't mind the company, but still found myself asking "why?"

He paused and said "Figured you could use the company.

I told Yin and Zare and asked them to start gathering anything they may need. I walked down to the landing craft garage and saw Ro and Cherrin getting on themselves.

"Hey!" I said. "You coming with us?"

"Nope." Said Ro. "Jet wants us to act as scouts."

"Getting rid of the new guys then?"

"Pretty much. I'm guessing we'll share the ship to the surface, then it's parting ways."

"Looks like it."

I had an idea right then, but it required picking a favorite from these two. Whoever I could trust more. I remembered Tellevora. Ro was a captain. Cherrin, a private. I chose him.

"Cherrin." I said.

"Can I talk to you in private."

He looked curiously at Ro then back at me. "I guess."

I brought him to the doorway while the rest loaded the craft.

I looked around and nobody was within earshot.

"What's going on here?"

"What did Jet say he wanted you to check out?"

"Said he wanted us to go North and find any potential targets."

"Think you could do us a favor, then? A week ago, right before Tellevora, we got into combat with Prince Zuko's ship. We crippled it, but they took one of us as hostage. It was around 50 miles South of Tellevora beach. If you could find any Fire Nation repair docks near there, check entries, prisoner transfers, anything, it would really help."

"I'm sure if I told Jet, he'd…"

"I think we had a man left behind for a reason. That reason being Jet. I can't sleep knowing one of us is a prisoner. Are you going to help me?"

He was making a choice of who'd he be reporting to and who he'd be working for.

"Alright."

"Thank you."

We all got onboard the landing craft and set out. I didn't know what to look for. POW camps, villages with young men eager to fight, Fire Nation training camps, or what. Any of the above would have what we needed. We got to the beach and dropped Ro and Cherrin off. According to our map, the town, Heathen was 2 miles East. We found it, but it wasn't a town. It was a Fire Nation prison camp. We scouted it out from the top of a large hill to the South of the town.

"Looks like it's not too heavily guarded." Zare said.

"Can we sneak inside?" Yin asked.

"Yes." I said. "Getting out with around 20 Earth Kingdom soldiers unnoticed is another thing.

"What about a distraction?" offered Zare.

"Might work, but we'd have to be quick, and who'd even make the distraction?"

"I'll do it." Said Yin. "What should I do?"

I tried thinking of what would get the Fire Nation focusing on Yin and not on the prisoners, but overall, I wanted everyone getting out unscathed. Dynamite would work.

"Yin." I said. "Have a lighter?"

"No. Why?"

"I have dynamite."

"I can make a fire."

"You know how to?" asked Zare.

"No."

"Shit." I mumbled under my breath.

"I'll do it." Said Zare.

"Please tell me you know how to start a fire." I said, handing her 2 sticks of dynamite.

She snickered and got up, running West.

"Sorry." Yin said.

"It's fine. I'll teach you how to start a fire another day. How'd you never learn on your own?"

"My mom told me not to play with fire because it's dangerous and that it could hurt me."

I had nothing to say, so I just nodded my head.

I heard a loud boom come from my left. I looked over, saw a flash, followed by the toppling of a few trees. A perfect distraction. I know I would check it out.

The soldiers had the same mindset. Out of the 7 guards, 5 left to investigate.

"2 left. 1 guarding the gate." I said. "I can take him out and we can avoid the last."

"Do we have to kill him?"

"The Fire Nation will do it for us or torture him if he lets the prisoners escape."

I knew Yin didn't like it. A month ago, and I would have the same mindset as him. A month ago.

I got up and ran towards the prison walls so the gate guard couldn't see me. I didn't know if Yin was following me. Didn't matter. I grabbed the hilt of my knife from my belt, saw the soldier, grabbed him by the shoulder and sunk the knife into his throat and took it out half of a second later. He fell to the ground clutching his throat as if it would help. It didn't.

Yin must've been following me because he walked into the prison camp before me. There were 17 prisoners. They were huddled near the center of the camp, chained to each other. I saw the chains and checked the gate guard. Sure enough, he had a key.

Within a minute, the chains were unlocked and they were standing in place.

"You have a choice." I said quietly enough that nobody outside the walls would hear, but loud enough the prisoners would. "Go back to your lives, forget all about this, or take the fight to the Fire Nation. We leave in a week. You can go home, see your families, but if you have an unsettled debt with the Fire Nation, come with us.

12 of the 17 stepped forward. Better than expected.

We left for the landing craft, going west. We somehow missed the other soldiers. I hoped that Zare had gotten away. I saw the landing craft and Zare was sitting on the outside rail.

"Took you long enough." She said.

"I like taking my time."

The freed prisoners got onboard and we headed back to the ship with our first delivery. And in under 3 hours.

Apparently, they were newly recruited. Most of the soldiers with us were under 18. One who I took note of was Henwi. He told us about how the Earth Kingdom was getting ready for a final solution. Recruiting even children. He told us how he saw a group of 12 year olds with Earth Kingdom armor. The sleeves had to be rolled up and the helmets had to be raised just to see their small faces.

We got to the ship. Jet met the soldiers on the deck. He looked over the lot.

I'm going to go off of a guess that he wasn't impressed by his newest recruits. I wouldn't know why he did what he did next for the next few days.

He said "How many of you have never killed before?"

Slowly, Earth Kingdom recruits began to raise their hands.

Jet looked at them, a group of untrained, and unbloodied soldiers. In the eyes of a human, this was ideal. In the eyes of a leader, weakness.

"Go back to your prison camp and kill those who called themselves your masters.


	48. Chapter 2: A New Chance

Only 3 came back. When I asked Jet why he did what he did, he told me that he got rid of the weak and created 3 real soldiers. I talked to one of the three. Juyin. The prison camp had been reinforced since the escape. He told me how many he killed and each detail of every one. How some of the escapees tried to surrender, but were executed.

I continued going out into the Earth Kingdom looking for aid. None were as successful as our first day. Supplies here and there, but no new people. Every night, I stayed up waiting for the messenger hawk to come. I couldn't let Jet see it. He wouldn't allow us to go. Even if it meant getting Zare's brother.

It was a few days before the first day of Winter. It was getting colder so I was getting ready to cut the night short and get some rest. I was going inside when I heard the hawk. It came to where I was standing and presented the note cylinder on its back. I patted its head and opened the small container and took out the rolled paper. I unrolled it to find a map of the Earth Kingdom. There was a red circle drawn on and next to it written "367 prisoners. One recent arrival courtesy of Prince Zuko." Also in the container was a smaller map of the circled region. On it was a steel Fire Nation prison camp. Steel walls, guard posts, and a large yard. It was an actual prison and our target was there. I took out a pen, ripped off a piece of the map and wrote "Thank you" on it. I took the maps and put the note back in the cylinder, closed it, and sent the hawk off.

I turned to go the other way. I'd avoided sleep for too long. I needed rest, but standing at the doorway that led back inside was Zare, arms folded.

"What was that?"

"Message from Cherrin."

"You're going to give it to Jet?" she said, with clear disgust. It was obvious she held no sentiment. It was a good thing to not be alone on.

"No."

"Why's that?"

"Because I know where your brother is."

She clearly hadn't been expected this as she took a few involuntary steps back before walking forward up to me.

I unfolded the paper and handed it to her. I watched her green eyes as they moved across the paper, reading every single piece of information she could find. After a good minute of scanning it, she handed it back to me and walked backward until she got to a railing and leaned against it.

"H-how?"

"I asked Cherrin to update us on where he is?"

"So we're going after him?"

"No. We can't."

She looked at me and her look of surprise started to morph into one of anger that had been last seen when her brother had been abandoned.

"What do you mean we can't?! We can't just- "

"We're supposed to be helping the resistance gather support for an attack on the Fire Nation, but it just so happens that your brother is sharing a prison with 367 men with an intense hate for the Fire Nation. So who are we to blame if we go there looking for more recruits and happen to find your brother?"

She looked up at me and her face changed back to the one of surprise and happiness. I caught a few tears going down her face before she hugged me. I hadn't been expecting it so it took me a few minutes to return it.

She pulled back after what felt like a minute, looked up to me, and said "When do we go?"

"I'm free tonight."


End file.
